Continue in prayer
"Continue in
prayer"
(Colossians 4:2)
It is interesting to remark how large a portion of
Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing
examples, enforcing precepts, of pronouncing promises.
We scarcely open the Bible before we read, "Then
began men to call upon the name of the Lord"; and just as we are about to
close the volume, the "Amen" of an earnest supplication meets our
ear. Instances are plentiful. Here we
find a wrestling Jacob-there a Daniel who prayed three times a day-and a David
who with all his heart called upon is God.
On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and
Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises.
What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and
necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in
his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about
prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it.
So deep are our necessities, that until we are in
heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, i fear thou
dost not know thy poverty.
Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord's
mercy show thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.
Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the
shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep
in Jesus. It is breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of
a Christian, if thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father's face, and
live in thy Father's love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humle,
zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into
the banqueting-house of his love.
Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto
others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master.
The motto for this year must be, "continue in
prayer".
C. H. Spurgeon