Begin and End Every Day With God

John Willison, A Short Christian Directory; Consisting of Forty Scripture-Directions:

Direct. XXV. -- Begin and end every day with God, Psal. v. 3; iv. 8. Let prayer be the key to open the heart to God in the morning, and lock it against all his enemies at night. Let no Christian say, he cannot pray; for prayer is as necessary to him as breath, Lam. iii. 56. Let none say, they have not time for it; better take time from sleep, than want time from prayer. Think it not enough to say your prayers, but mind you must pray your prayers, pray with sincerity and fervour. Think with yourself, this morning may be my last morning, or this night my last night; for certainly that morning cometh of which you will never see the night; or the night in which you will never see the morning. Let the conclusion of every day put you in mind of the conclusion of all your days [Matthew Henry], by the long night of death, that will put an end to all your work, and bring you to count and reckon with your great Master about your work. O to lie down every night reconciled with him! O that we could lie down and leave our hearts with Christ, and compose our spirits so, as if we were not to awake till the heavens are no more.