"WISE" LESSONS

From time to time, we hear something whereby we ourselves may profit, but which also may profit someone else.

Long before our congregations in America were instituted, and were orgainzed as a denomination, a prayer service was held in a church that later joined our denomination. That prayer service was conducted by a minister who had had his schooling with the Presbyterians. One of the Professors also had a few students at his own home. The late Rev. Meinders was one of them. The Professor had the custom of having also the students lead in prayer at meal time.

Of course, prayer is a tender matter, but when according to his opinion a student prayed too long, he spoke to him about it. At one time, he said, "Praying long is a part of the Covenant of Works." At another time he said, "There are very few people that realize that God is Omnicient." Many people imagine that God is not familiar with what takes place in the world. Also in my youth, I have heard a preacher warn against long prayers. He said, "Be brief in public prayer, but be longer in secret." Truly these are wise lessons.

Praying is speaking to God, to the Supreme Majesty. Praying is asking, beseeching, pouring out our heart before the Lord.

There are exceptions. Think of the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple, the prayers of Ezra and Daniel. But they were not long, drawnout prayers, no vain repetition of words. Abraham made no long prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah. How brief was the prayer of Moses for his sister Miriam. Consider, also, the prayer which Christ taught His disciples in Matt. 6 and Luke 11. Was not everything included in that? Think also of the prayer of Christ as Hightpriest in John 17, of the prayer of the suffering Surety in the Garden of Gethsemane. Also in this matter Christ has left us an example.

The prayer of the Canaanitish woman was also short, as well as of the heathen centurion, of Peter when he began to sink while upon the water, of the publican in Luke 18, and of the thief upon he cross. The Lord himself tells us in His Word, "Let your words be few."

Ah, how favored and happy we would be if we could pray more. (I mean in truth and in real need.) How often they are words and sentences from which the heart is so far away. Many expressions without impressions, more lip service than heart labor, more self-love, more self-interest than love and interest in the honor of God which nevertheless should be the greatest and most important purpose of our life.

Ah, when we may consider at times with observations what the framers of the Catechism have written in Lord's Day 45 about the requisites of such a prayer that is acceptable to God, and which He will hear, then there surely shall be no one that can think anything of his poor and empty prayers. Then shame shall cover our faces. Then we shall have to say to ourselves, "Did I ever pray in truth?" Yea, being endowed with a little light from above, we shall understand even better what the disciples asked of the Lord Jesus. And they were people, who with Saul on the way to Damascus, had been taught by God.

God desires truth in the inward parts, and He observes our heart, since He knows the heart and tries the reins.

If we have no life of prayer, then we are graceless. God teaches His people to pray, and the Spirit Itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Prayer is the breath of a quickened soul. God's people cannot live without prayer. And however miserable they may feel within and however severe the strife may be, in what darkness their path leads, how many darts from hell are shot into their soul, however many objections come up in their heart, the devil can never remove it from their soul. But it is remarkable that while the needs become greater, their prayers become shorter.

One child of God has more boldness than the other, and also more gifts than the other, but what a privilege it is that we may pour out our heart before that Omnicient God.

There is a time that the secluded places have so much value, and are so desireable to us. Even before we can mention anything to any person in the world, we have already disclosed our heart to the Most High. Salvation for our soul is something different, but it is certain that it often produces a wonderful relief in our heart and life. As it is and is experienced, can really not be expressed or put upon paper. Sin oppresses, but love draws. If ever something from heaven has dropped into our heart, then it is impossible to stay away from God. Much, yea, everything come against it. At times the attacks are so terrible, but yet under all the condemnation and mockeries, they are drawn to God. His people can no longer find help in the world. The Lord has closed all doors to them, and in themselves they only find misery. The only refuge is above. At times, in all their sorrow, they are so sweetly allured.

'"Open' saith the Lord,
'Wide thy mouth, believing.
This My covenant word,
I will, if thou plead,
Fill thine every need
All thy wants relieving. '"

In the heart matters, in the smallest things, yea in ever thing they need God, and truly although they do not always tell the people, it is such an inward pleasure to need the Lord and to acknowledge Him in all their ways. Ah, it is such a blessed life to cry after the Lord. A praying life is a fruitful life. Ah, those impressions of the worthiness of God, and the unworthiness, and the want and the need of their soul, drives them out to God. Whatever shall become of them, what their end shall one day be, they do not know, but they do know that in the service of the Lord is more sweetness than in all the pleasures of the world. There is none of them who would want to return to that from which they were taken and drawn. One evening, years ago, we were kneeling in a home for the evening prayer, and an aged man who was greatly concerned about his condition, prayed, saying, "I do not know what my end shall be; my heart is full of fear and turmoil, and Thou art just if Thou dost reject me, but Lord, permit then as long as I may still live, to cleave to Thee." In the service of the world and of sin, there is nothing but bitterness, but in the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death, Prov. 14:27.

How often the Lord answers the prayers and sighs of those waiting souls. He answers them through words, but more through deeds. How often it is a pleasant life in their want, and how often it is, "Before they Call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

At such times they freely say from their heart, "I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplication," Ps. 116:1.

But other times also appear in the life of those people. No, they could never have imagined that. From Ps. 81 they must go back to Ps. 51, and there it is, "Lord, open Thou my lips." What listless times appear of which they formerly had no knowledge. The prayer of the publican in the rear of the temple, and of Peter upon the waves was brief. For those people there are times that they can say no more than, "O Lord, O God." After having had a praying life for many years with sweet communion with heaven, they now must cry out at times, "O Lord, teach me once more what it is to pray in truth. Ah, God, bind the need up once more. Ah, let me once more feel my need of Thee." At times there is no desire. They are oppressed because they are not oppressed. I cannot write everything, but at times it comes down so low. They become prayerless beggars. Ah, they cannot even pray with their heart. It seems as if everything inside is dried up; there is no more movement in it. Where are Thy former loving kindnesses? How often have they been down upon the ground formerly, and now they seem to be fastened to their chair. Ah, it is so difficult to get down upon their knees once more. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Formerly, at times, they were glad if they obtained the opportunity to lead in prayer and then prayed for everything: the country, the nation, the church, sick and afflicted, etc. etc.

Now they forget everything, and they have almost no more words. Now they would almost stay away from a company of their friends. How difficult it is in their own home to fulfill the calling that rests upon their shoulders. The ship has no sails anymore, and the motor is rusted fast. Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him.

We must come to an end with everything, and be put outside of everything, and come to death and despair of self, in order that a praying High Priest shall become valuable to our soul. We then shall become glad in Him, with Him, through Him and about Him, Who always lives to pray for His people. The solution of a prayerless beggar lies in a praying Lord Jesus at the right hand of the Father. Our prayers become sin to us, but His prayer is perfect, and that contintues: "Father, I know that Thou hearest Me always."

In the Covenant of Works, we work ourselves to death, and in the Covenant of Grace the soul may rest in and upon the perfect mediatorial work of Christ. There it is, "Let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely," Songs of Sol. 2:14.

Friends, I am going to close; it is almost midnight. These are a few lines written out of the heart and love. May there be something in it that the Lord may be pleased to use for those that can no longer pray, and also often no more dare to pray. I am thinking about Prov. 31:8: "Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction." May it yet find an echo and be a blessing for such souls.

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