From: Suzianty Herawati
"But I give myself unto prayer." --Psalm 109:4
Lying tongues were busy against the reputation of David, but he did not
defend himself; he moved the case into a higher court, and pleaded before the
great King Himself. Prayer is the
safest method of replying to words of hatred. The Psalmist prayed in no
cold-hearted manner, he gave himself to the exercise--threw his whole soul and
heart into it--straining every sinew and muscle, as Jacob did when wrestling
with the angel. Thus, and thus only, shall any of us speed at the throne of
grace. As a shadow has no power because there is no substance in it, even so
that supplication, in which a man's proper self is not thoroughly present in
agonizing earnestness and vehement desire, is utterly ineffectual, for it lacks
that which would give it force. "Fervent prayer," says an old divine, "like a
cannon planted at the gates of heaven, makes them fly open."
The common fault with the most of us is our readiness to yield to distractions.
Our thoughts go roving hither and thither, and we make little progress towards
our desired end. Like quicksilver
our mind will not hold together, but rolls off this way and that. How great an
evil this is! It injures us, and what is worse, it insults our God. What should
we think of a petitioner, if, while having an audience with a prince, he should
be playing with a feather or catching a fly?
Continuance and perseverance are intended in the expression of our text.
David did not cry once, and then relapse into silence; his holy clamour was
continued till it brought down the
blessing. Prayer must not be our chance work, but our daily business, our habit
and vocation. As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to their
classical pursuits, so must we
addict ourselves to prayer. We must be immersed in prayer as in our element,
and so pray without ceasing. Lord, teach us so to pray that we may be more and
more prevalent in supplication.
CH Spurgeon
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From: Suzianty Herawati
"The things which are not seen." --2 Corinthians 4:18
In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking
forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for
hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future
must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the
future
we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made
perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light.
Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river
passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which
standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates,
hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the
arms of Jesus, glorified with Him, and made to sit together with Him on His
throne, even as He has overcome and has sat down with the Father on His throne.
The thought of this future may well relieve the darkness of the past and the
gloom of the present. The joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows
of earth. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and thou shalt
soon have forded it. Time, how short--eternity, how long! Death, how
brief--immortality, how endless! Methinks I even now eat of Eshcol's clusters,
and sip of the well which is within the gate. The road is so, so short!
I shall soon be there.
"When the world my heart is rending
With its heaviest storm of care,
My glad thoughts to heaven ascending,
Find a refuge from despair.
Faith's bright vision shall sustain me
Till life's pilgrimage is past;
Fears may vex and troubles pain me,
I shall reach my home at last."
CH Spurgeon
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From: Suzianty Herawati
"The Lord our Righteousness." --Jeremiah 23:6
It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace,
to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of
God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they
would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who
are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the
innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further,
and remember that we are "perfect
in Christ Jesus." It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own
corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that
"Christ is made unto us
righteousness," we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me,
though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced
before I get to heaven, those
are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my
Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross He said, "It is finished!" and if
it be finished, then am I complete in Him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory, "Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith." You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who
receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the
believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and
I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;" then there rises
up as a motive of gratitude this thought-- "Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I
not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?"
"The love of Christ constraineth us," "that they which live should not
henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them." If saved by
imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.
CH Spurgeon
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From: Suzianty Herawati
"Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." --Matthew 14:30
Sinking times are praying times with the Lord's servants.
Peter neglected prayer at starting upon his venturous journey, but when he
began to sink his danger made him a suppliant, and his cry though late was not
too late. In our hours of bodily
pain and mental anguish, we find ourselves as naturally driven to prayer as the
wreck is driven upon the shore by the waves.
The fox hies to its hole for protection; the bird flies to the wood for
shelter; and even so the tried believer hastens to the mercy seat for safety.
Heaven's great harbour of refuge is All-prayer; thousands of weather-beaten
vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise
for us to make for it with all sail.
Short prayers are long enough. There were but three words in the petition
which Peter gasped out, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not length
but strength is desirable. A sense
of need is a mighty teacher of brevity. If our prayers had less of the tail
feathers of pride and more wing they would be all the better. Verbiage is to
devotion as chaff to the wheat.
Precious things lie in small compass, and all that is real prayer in many a
long address might have been uttered in a petition as short as that of Peter.
Our extremities are the Lord's opportunities. Immediately a keen sense of
danger forces an anxious cry from us the ear of Jesus hears, and with Him ear
and heart go together, and the
hand does not long linger. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but His
swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. Are we
nearly engulfed by the boisterous
waters of affliction? Let us then lift up our souls unto our Saviour, and we
may rest assured that He will not suffer us to perish. When we can do nothing
Jesus can do all things; let us
enlist His powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well.
CH Spurgeon
