by Mihran Kulhanjian
My Dear Young Friends,
Let your hearts be filled with God’s truth. God is truth. When you love God you love truth. "Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude. Love is not irritable, resentful, or rejoices at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Love is not selfish but selfless. Love is gentle. Love is sacrifice. Love is compassion. Love is helping others when they need help (Matthew 22:39). "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and will all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). "God is love" (1 John 4:8,16). And He loves you (John 3:16). "God is spirit" (John 4:24), He is Just (1 John 1:9), 'He is light [holy]" (1 John 1:5). "I the Lord your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). Friends, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Our Father which art in Heaven,
At lying down in Bed,
I lay me down, hoping to sleep,
I pray to God, my Soul to keep;
But if I die before I wake,
I pray to God my Soul to take.
Amen.
—Charles Wesley
Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child,
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to thee.
Fain I would to thee be brought,
Gracious Lord, forbid it not;
In the Kingdom of thy grace
Give a little child a place.
Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb,
In thy gracious hands I am;
Make me, Saviour, what thou art,
Live thyself within my heart.
Lamb of God, I look to thee,
Thou shalt my example be;
Thou art gentle, meek and mild;
Thou was once a little child.
Now I would be as thou art;
Give me an obedient heart;
Thou art pitiful and kind,
Let me have thy loving mind.
I shall then show forth thy praise,
Serve thee all my happy days;
Then the world shall always see
Christ, the holy child, in me.
—Charles Wesley
In the Light
O Father in Heaven, in the light,
Your spirit shines bright all day and night,
I wake and hear the morning dove,
soft and gentle calls of love.
Your wonders and glory will always reign,
Through all times of war and strife,
The mighty fight between evil and right,
Of truth, of love, of piercing light.
The warmth and glow of You in sight,
Will always fill the hearts, delight.
The sorrow of the poor and meek,
The small and trembling little feet,
For only you are the light of the world that shines the brilliant light
that brings a tepid glow of night
to dust away the midnight fright.
In Jesus’ name I pray tonight. Amen.
—Mihran Kulhanjian
The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Father, We Thank Thee
For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh and sweet,
Father, we thank Thee
For song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee
For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
