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Praying Always

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Praying Always

5 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

To pray always is to pray daily. When the Christian keeps a constant daily exercise of this duty, prayer is not a holiday, but everyday work: “Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy Name for ever and ever” (Psalm 145:2). This was typified by the daily sacrifice, called, therefore, the continual burnt offering (Exodus 29:38), whereby was signified our daily need of seeking mercy at God’s hands through Christ.

When our Lord taught His disciples to pray, He bade them not ask bread for a week, no, not for the morrow, but for the present day: “Give us this day our daily bread,” plainly signifying our duty to seek our bread every day of God. This surely was also the end why God gave the manna in such a portion as should not stuff their cupboards and furnish them with a store for a month or a week, but be a just measure and sufficient allowance for a day. So they might be kept in a daily dependence on God and look up to Him daily who carried the key of their pantry for them.

And have not we the same necessities upon us with them? Our bodies are as weak as theirs and cannot be preserved without daily repast. Do we not depend on Him for the bread of the day and the rest of the night? And he hath too good an opinion of his soul’s constitution who thinks it can live or thrive with yesterday’s meal, without renewing his communion with God today. The mother would think her sucking child not well if it should forsake the breast a whole day. So mayest thou conclude thy soul is not right if it can pass a day without craving any spiritual repast in prayer. If thy wants be not sufficient to keep the chariot of this duty on its wheels, yet the sins which thou daily renewest would drive thee every day to confess and beg pardon for them.

We are under a law not to let the sun go down upon our wrath against our brother. And dare we, who every day deserve God’s wrath, let the sun go down before that controversy is taken up between God and us? In a word, every day hath its new mercies. “His compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). These new mercies contract a new debt, and God hath told us the way of payment, namely, a tribute of praise. Without this, we cannot expect a sanctified use of them.

He is branded by all for a profane person that eats his meat and gives not thanks. And it would be thought a ridiculous excuse should he say he gave thanks yesterday, and that should serve for this meal also. We have more mercies every day to bless God for than what is set on our tables. We wear mercies; we breathe mercies; we walk upon mercies; our whole life is but a passage from one mercy, to be entertained by another. As one cloth is drawn, another is laid for a new feast to be set on. Now, doth God every day anoint our head with fresh oil, and shall we not crown Him with new praises?

I will not enter into a discourse how often a Christian should pray in a day. At least it must be twice, this is, morning and night. Prayer must be the key of the morning and the lock of the night. We show not ourselves Christians if we do not open our eyes with prayer when we rise, and shut them again with the same key when we lie down at night. This answers to the morning and evening sacrifice in the law, which yet was so commanded as to leave room for those other freewill offerings which their zeal might prompt them to.

Pray as oft as you please besides, so that your devotions justle not with the necessary duties of your particular callings; the oftener the more welcome. We read of David’s “seven times a day.” But be sure thou dost not retrench and cut God short of thy stated hours. “It is a good thing,” saith the psalmist, “to give thanks unto the Lord...to show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night” (Psalm 92:1-2). God is Alpha and Omega. It is fit we should begin and end the day with His praise, who begins and ends it for us with His mercy.


Elijah’s Prayer

Methinks I see Elijah stand,
His features glow with love and zeal;
In faith and prayer he lifts his hand
And makes to heaven his great appeal.

“O God! if I Thy servant am,
If ’tis Thy message fills my heart,
Now glorify Thy holy Name
And show this people who Thou art!”

He spake, and lo! a sudden flame
Consumed the wood, the dust, the stone;
The people struck, at once proclaim,
“The Lord is God, the Lord alone.”

Like him, we mourn, an awful day,
When more for Baal than God appear;
Like him, believers, let us pray,
And may the God of Israel hear!

Lord, if Thy servant speak Thy truth,
If he indeed is sent by Thee,
Confirm the word to all our youth,
And let them Thy salvation see.

Now may Thy Spirit’s holy fire
Pierce every heart that hears Thy Word,
Consume each hurtful, vain desire,
And make them know Thou art the Lord.

— J. Newton

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zaterdag 1 juni 1996

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

Praying Always

Bekijk de hele uitgave van zaterdag 1 juni 1996

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's