The
Privilege and Power of Prayer!
"And
when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites; for they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners
of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say
to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, enter
into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to
your Father which is in secret; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly. But when you pray, use not
vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they
shall be heard for their much speaking" Matthew
6:5-7.
Through
nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the
influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not
enough; we need also to pour out our hearts to Him. In order
to have spiritual life and energy, we must have actual interaction
with our heavenly Father. Our minds may be drawn out toward
Him; we may meditate upon His works, His mercies, His blessings;
but this is not, in the fullest sense, communing with Him.
In order to commune with God, we must have something to say
to Him concerning our actual life.
Prayer
is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that
it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are,
but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not
bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.
When
Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray.
He directed them to present their daily needs before God,
and to cast all their care upon Him. And the assurance He
gave them that their petitions should be heard, is assurance
also to us.
Jesus
Himself, while He dwelt among men, was often in prayer. Our
Saviour identified Himself with our needs and weakness, in
that He became a suppliant, a petitioner, seeking from His
Father fresh supplies of strength, that He might come forth
braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all things.
He is a brother in our infirmities, "in all points tempted
like as we are" (Hebrews 4:15); but as the sinless One
His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture
of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity
and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with
His Father. And if the Saviour of men, the Son of God, felt
the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals
feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer.
Our heavenly
Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing.
It is our privilege to drink largely at the fountain of boundless
love. What a wonder it is that we pray so little! God is ready
and willing to hear the sincere prayer of the humblest of
His children, and yet there is much manifest reluctance on
our part to make known our wants to God. What can the angels
of heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject
to temptation, when God's heart of infinite love yearns toward
them, ready to give them "exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20), and yet they
pray so little and have so little faith? The angels love to
bow before God; they love to be near Him. They regard communion
with God as their highest joy; and yet the children of earth,
who need so much the help that God only can give, seem satisfied
to walk without the light of His Spirit, the companionship
of His presence.
The darkness
of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered
temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all
because they do not make use of the privileges that God has
given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should
the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer
is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse,
where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?
Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we are in danger
of growing careless and of deviating from the right path.
The adversary
seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy seat, that
we may not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace
and power to resist temptation. There are certain conditions
upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our
prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need
of help from Him. He has promised, "I will pour water
upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground"
Isaiah 44:3. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled.
The heart must be open to the Spirit's influence, or God's
blessing cannot be received.
Our great
need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our
behalf. But the Lord is to be sought to do these things for
us. He says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you"
Matthew 7:7; "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give
us all things? Romans 8:32. And "you will seek me and
find me when you search for me with all your heart" Jeremiah
29:13.
If we
regard iniquity in our hearts, if we cling to any known sin,
the Lord will not hear us; but the prayer of the penitent,
contrite soul is always accepted. When all known wrongs are
righted, we may believe that God will answer our petitions.
Our own merit will never commend us to the favor of God; it
is the worthiness of Jesus that will save us, His blood that
will cleanse us; yet we have a work to do in complying with
the conditions of acceptance.
Another
element of prevailing prayer is faith. "He that comes
to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek Him" Hebrews 11:6. Jesus
said to His disciples, "What things so ever you desire,
when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall
have them" Mark 11:24. Do we take Him at His word?
The assurance
is broad and unlimited, and He is faithful who has promised.
When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the
time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and
that He will answer our prayers. We are so erring and short-sighted
that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing
to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers
by giving us that which will be for our highest good - that
which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened
we could see all things as they really are. When our prayers
seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for
the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive
the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always
be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that
we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too
good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly.
Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see
the immediate answer to your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise,
"Ask, and it shall be given you."
If we
take counsel with our doubts and fears, or try to solve everything
that we cannot see clearly, before we have faith, perplexities
will only increase and deepen. But if we come to God, feeling
helpless and dependent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting
faith make known our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite,
who sees everything in creation, and who governs everything
by His will and word, He can and will attend to our cry, and
will let light shine into our hearts. Through sincere prayer
we are brought into connection with the mind of the Infinite.
We may have no remarkable evidence at the time that the face
of our Redeemer is bending over us in compassion and love,
but this is even so. We may not feel His visible touch, but
His hand is upon us in love and pitying tenderness.
When
we come to ask mercy and blessing from God we should have
a spirit of love and forgiveness in our own hearts. How can
we pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,"
and yet indulge an unforgiving spirit? Matthew 6:12. If we
expect our own prayers to be heard we must forgive others
in the same manner and to the same extent as we hope to be
forgiven (Mark 11:25, 26).
Perseverance
in prayer has been made a condition of receiving. We must
pray always if we would grow in faith and experience. We are
to be "instant in prayer," to "continue in
prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" Romans
12:12; Col. 4:2. Peter exhorts believers to be "sober,
and watch unto prayer" 1 Peter 4:7. Paul directs, "In
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God" Phil. 4:6. "But
you, beloved" says Jude, "praying in the Holy Ghost,
keep yourselves in the love of God" Jude 20, 21.
Unceasing
prayer is the unbroken union of the soul with God, so that
life from God flows into our life; and from our life, purity
and holiness flow back to God. There is necessity for diligence
in prayer; let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep
open the communion between Jesus and your own soul. Seek every
opportunity to go where prayer is wont to be made. Those who
are really seeking for communion with God will be seen in
the prayer meeting, faithful to do their duty and earnest
and anxious to reap all the benefits they can gain. They will
improve every opportunity of placing themselves where they
can receive the rays of light from heaven.
We should
pray in the family circle, and above all we must not neglect
secret prayer, for this is the life of the soul. It is impossible
for the soul to flourish while prayer is neglected. Family
or public prayer alone is not sufficient. In solitude let
the soul be laid open to the inspecting eye of God (Matthew
6:6). Secret prayer is to be heard only by the prayer-hearing
God. No curious ear is to receive the burden of such petitions.
In secret prayer the soul is free from surrounding influences,
free from excitement. Calmly, yet fervently, will it reach
out after God. Sweet and abiding will be the influence emanating
from Him who seeth in secret, whose ear is open to hear the
prayer arising from the heart. By calm, simple faith the soul
holds communion with God and gathers to itself rays of divine
light to strengthen and sustain it in the conflict with Satan.
God is our tower of strength.
Pray
in your closet, and as you go about your daily labor let your
heart be often uplifted to God. It was thus that Enoch walked
with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense
before the throne of grace. Satan cannot overcome him whose
heart is thus stayed upon God.
There
is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer
up a petition to God. There is nothing that can prevent us
from lifting up our hearts in the spirit of earnest prayer.
In the crowds of the street, in the midst of a business engagement,
we may send up a petition to God and plead for divine guidance,
as did Nehemiah when he made his request before King Artaxerxes.
A closet of communion may be found wherever we are. We should
have the door of the heart open continually and our invitation
going up that Jesus may come and abide as a heavenly guest
in the soul.
Although
there may be a tainted, corrupted atmosphere around us, we
need not breathe its miasma, but may live in the pure air
of heaven. We may close every door to impure imaginings and
unholy thoughts by lifting the soul into the presence of God
through sincere prayer. Those whose hearts are open to receive
the support and blessing of God will walk in a holier atmosphere
than that of earth and will have constant communion with heaven.
We need
to have more distinct views of Jesus and a fuller comprehension
of the value of eternal realities. The beauty of holiness
is to fill the hearts of God's children; and that this may
be accomplished, we should seek for divine disclosures of
heavenly things.
Let the
soul be drawn out and upward, that God may grant us a breath
of the heavenly atmosphere. We may keep so near to God that
in every unexpected trial our thoughts will turn to Him as
naturally as the flower turns to the sun.
Keep
your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your
fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary
Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent
to the wants of His children. "The Lord is very pitiful,
and of tender mercy" James 5:11. His heart of love is
touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them.
Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is
too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules
over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any
way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There
is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read;
there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No
calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety
harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the
lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which
He takes no immediate interest. "He heals the broken
in heart, and binds up their wounds" Psalm 147:3. The
relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full
as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share
His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved
Son.
Jesus
said, "You shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you,
that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself
loves you." "I have chosen you: . . . that whatsoever
you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you"
John 16:26,27; 15:16. But to pray in the name of Jesus is
something more than a mere mention of that name at the beginning
and the ending of a prayer. It is to pray in the mind and
spirit of Jesus, while we believe His promises, rely upon
His grace, and work His works.
God does
not mean that any of us should become hermits or monks and
retire from the world in order to devote ourselves to acts
of worship. The life must be like Christ's life - between
the mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray
will soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal
routine. When men take themselves out of social life, away
from the sphere of Christian duty and cross bearing; when
they cease to work earnestly for the Master, who worked earnestly
for them, they lose the subject matter of prayer and have
no incentive to devotion. Their prayers become personal and
selfish. They cannot pray in regard to the wants of humanity
or the upbuilding of Christ's kingdom, pleading for strength
wherewith to work.
We sustain
a loss when we neglect the privilege of associating together
to strengthen and encourage one another in the service of
God. The truths of His word lose their vividness and importance
in our minds. Our hearts cease to be enlightened and aroused
by their sanctifying influence, and we decline in spirituality.
In our association as Christians we lose much by lack of sympathy
with one another. He who shuts himself up to himself is not
filling the position that God designed he should. The proper
cultivation of the social elements in our nature brings us
into sympathy with others and is a means of development and
strength to us in the service of God.
If Christians
would associate together, speaking to each other of the love
of God and of the precious truths of redemption, their own
hearts would be refreshed and they would refresh one another.
We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining
a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak
of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed
and encouraged. If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and
less of self, we should have far more of His presence.
If we
would but think of God as often as we have evidence of His
care for us we should keep Him ever in our thoughts and should
delight to talk of Him and to praise Him. We talk of temporal
things because we have an interest in them. We talk of our
friends because we love them; our joys and our sorrows are
bound up with them. Yet we have infinitely greater reason
to love God than to love our earthly friends; it should be
the most natural thing in the world to make Him first in all
our thoughts, to talk of His goodness and tell of His power.
The rich gifts He has bestowed upon us were not intended to
absorb our thoughts and love so much that we should have nothing
to give to God; they are constantly to remind us of Him and
to bind us in bonds of love and gratitude to our heavenly
Benefactor. We dwell too near the lowlands of earth. Let us
raise our eyes to the open door of the sanctuary above, where
the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Christ,
who "is able also to save them to the uttermost that
come unto God by Him" Hebrews 7:25.
We need
to praise God more "for His goodness, and for His wonderful
works to the children of men" Psalm 107:8. Our devotional
exercises should not consist wholly in asking and receiving.
Let us not be always thinking of our wants and never of the
benefits we receive. We do not pray any too much, but we are
too sparing of giving thanks. We are the constant recipients
of God's mercies, and yet how little gratitude we express,
how little we praise Him for what He has done for us.
Anciently
the Lord bade Israel, when they met together for His service,
"You shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall
rejoice in all that you put your hand unto, you and your households,
wherein the Lord your God has blessed you" Deuteronomy
12:7. That which is done for the glory of God should be done
with cheerfulness, with songs of praise and thanksgiving,
not with sadness and gloom.
Our God
is a tender, merciful Father. His service should not be looked
upon as a heart-saddening, distressing exercise. It should
be a pleasure to worship the Lord and to take part in His
work. God would not have His children, for whom so great salvation
has been provided, act as if He were a hard, exacting taskmaster.
He is their best friend; and when they worship Him, He expects
to be with them, to bless and comfort them, filling their
hearts with joy and love. The Lord desires His children to
take comfort in His service and to find more pleasure than
hardship in His work. He desires that those who come to worship
Him shall carry away with them precious thoughts of His care
and love, that they may be cheered in all the employments
of daily life, that they may have grace to deal honestly and
faithfully in all things.
We must
gather about the cross. Christ and Him crucified should be
the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most
joyful emotion. We should keep in our thoughts every blessing
we receive from God, and when we realize His great love we
should be willing to trust everything to the hand that was
nailed to the cross for us.
The soul
may ascend nearer heaven on the wings of praise. God is worshiped
with song and music in the courts above, and as we express
our gratitude we are approximating to the worship of the heavenly
hosts. "Whoso offers praise glorifies" God, Psalm
50:23. Let us with reverent joy come before our Creator, with
"thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" Isaiah 51:3.
"Your
Father who sees in secret will reward you openly!"
This
meditation is from The Path to Peace, pp. 45-51.
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