The Kneeling Christian Part 5

A young convert asked his vicar to give him some Christian work. "Have you a chum?" "Yes," replied the boy. "Is he a Christian?" "No, he is as careless as I was." "Then go and ask him to accept Christ as his Savior." "Oh, no!" said the lad, "I could never do that. Give me anything but that." "Well," said the vicar, "promise me two things: that you will not speak to him about his soul, and that you will pray to G.o.d twice daily for his conversion." "Why, yes, I'll gladly do that," answered the boy. Before a fortnight was up he rushed round to the vicarage. "Will you let me off my promise? I must speak to my chum!" he cried. When he began to pray G.o.d could give him strength to witness. Communion with G.o.d is essential before we can have real communion with our fellow-man. My belief is that men so seldom speak to others about their spiritual condition because they pray so little for them.

The writer has never forgotten how his faith in prayer was confirmed when, as a lad of thirteen, he earnestly asked G.o.d to enable him on a certain day to secure twenty new subscribers for missions overseas. Exactly twenty new names were secured before night closed in. The consciousness that G.o.d would grant that prayer was an incentive to eager effort, and gave an unwonted courage in approaching others.

A cleric in England suggested to his people that they should each day pray for the worst man or woman and then go to them and tell them about Jesus. Only six agreed to do so. On arrival home he began to pray. Then he said, "I must not leave this to my people. I must take it up myself. I don't know the bad people. I'll have to go out and enquire." Approaching a rough-looking man at a street corner, he asked, "Are you the worst man in this district?" "No, I'm not."

"Would you mind telling me who is?" "I don't mind. You'll find him at No. 7, down that street."

He knocked at No. 7 and entered. "I'm looking for the worst man in my parish. They tell me it might be you?" "Whoever told you that? Fetch him here, and I'll show him who's the worst man! No, there are lots worse than me." "Well, who is the worst man you know?" "Everybody knows him. He lives at the end house in that court. He's the worst man." So down the court he went and knocked at the door. A surly voice cried, "Come in!"

There were a man and his wife. "I hope you'll excuse me, but I'm the minister of the chapel along the round. I'm looking for the worst man in my district, because I have something to tell him. Are you the worst man?" The man turned to his wife and said, "La.s.s, tell him what I said to you five minutes ago." "No, tell him yourself." "What were you saying?" enquired the visitor.

"Well, I've been drinking for twelve weeks. I've had the D.T's and have p.a.w.ned all in the house worth p.a.w.ning. And I said to my wife a few minutes ago, 'La.s.s, this thing has to stop, and if it doesn't, I'll stop it myself --I'll go and drown myself.' Then you knocked at the door! Yes, sir, I'm the very worst man. What have you got to say to me?" "I'm here to tell you that Jesus Christ is the greatest Savior, and that He can make out of the worst man one of the best. He did it for me, and He will do it for you." "D'you think He can do it even for me?" "I'm sure He can. Kneel down and ask Him."

Not only was the poor drunkard saved from his sins, but he is today a radiant Christian man, bringing other drunken people to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Surely none of us finds it difficult to believe that G.o.d can, in answer to prayer, heal the body, send rain or fair weather, dispel fogs, or avert calamities?

We have to do with a G.o.d whose knowledge is infinite. He can put it into the mind of a doctor to prescribe a certain medicine, or diet, or method of cure. All the doctor's skill is from G.o.d. "He knoweth our frame" --for He made it. He knows it far better than the cleverest doctor or surgeon. He made, and He can restore. We believe that G.o.d desires us to use medical skill, but we also believe that G.o.d, by His wonderful knowledge, can heal, and sometimes does heal, without human co-operation. And G.o.d must be allowed to work in His own way. We are so apt to tie G.o.d down to the way we approve of. G.o.d's aim is to glorify His name in answering our prayers. Sometimes He sees that our desire is right, but our pet.i.tion wrong. St. Paul thought he could bring more glory to G.o.d if only the thorn in the flesh could be removed. G.o.d knew that he would be a better man and do better work with the thorn than without it. So G.o.d said No-No-No to his prayer, and then explained why!

So it was with Monica, who prayed so many years for the conversion of Augustine, her licentious son. When he was determined to leave home and cross the seas to Rome she prayed earnestly, even pa.s.sionately, that G.o.d would keep him by her side, and under her influence. She went down to a little chapel on the seash.o.r.e to spend the night in prayer close by where the ship lay at anchor. But, when morning came, she found that the ship had sailed even while she prayed! Her pet.i.tion was refused, but her real desire was granted. For it was in Rome that Augustine met the sainted Ambrose, who led him to Christ. How comforting it is to know that G.o.d knows what is best!

But we should never think it unreasonable that G.o.d should make some things dependent upon our prayers. Some people say that if G.o.d really loves us He would give us what is best for us whether we ask Him or not. Dr. Fosd.i.c.k has so beautifully pointed out that G.o.d has left man many things to do for himself. He promises seedtime and harvest. Yet man must prepare the soil, sow, and till, and reap in order to allow G.o.d to do His share. G.o.d provides us with food and drink. But He leaves us to take, and eat, and drink. There are some things G.o.d cannot, or at least will not, do without our help. G.o.d cannot do some things unless we think. He never emblazons His truth upon the sky. The laws of science have always been there. But we must think, and experiment, and think again if we would use those laws for our own good and G.o.d's glory.

G.o.d cannot do some things unless we work. He stores the hills with marble, but He has never built a cathedral. He fills the mountains with iron ore, but He never makes a needle or a locomotive. He leaves that to us. We must work.

If, then, G.o.d has left many things dependent upon man's thinking and working, why should He not leave some things dependent upon man's praying? He has done so. "Ask and ye shall receive." And there are some things G.o.d will not give us unless we ask. Prayer is one of the three ways in which man can co-operate with G.o.d; and the greatest of these is prayer.

Men of power are without exception men of prayer. G.o.d bestows His Holy Spirit in His fullness only on men of prayer. And it is through the operation of the Spirit that answers to prayer come. Every believer has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him. For "if any have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." But a man of prevailing prayer must be filled with the Spirit of G.o.d.

A lady missionary wrote recently that it used to be said of Praying Hyde that he never spoke to an unconverted man but that he was soundly converted. But if he ever did fail at first to touch a heart for G.o.d, he went back to his room and wrestled in prayer till he was shown what it was in himself that had hindered his being used by G.o.d. Yes, when we are filled with the Spirit of G.o.d, we cannot help influencing others G.o.d-ward. But, to have power with men, we must have power with G.o.d.

The momentous question for you and me is not, however, "How does G.o.d answer prayer?" The question is, "Do I really pray?" What a marvelous power G.o.d places at our disposal! Do we for a moment think that anything displeasing to G.o.d is worth our while holding on to? Fellow-Christian, trust Christ wholly, and you will find Him wholly true.

Let us give G.o.d the chance of putting His mind into us, and we shall never doubt the power of prayer again.

Chapter 11: HINDRANCES TO PRAYER.

THE, poet said, and we often sing -- What various hindrances we meet In coming to the mercy-seat.

Yes, indeed, they are various. But here again, most of those hindrances are our own making.

G.o.d wants me to pray. The devil does not want me to pray, and does all he can to hinder me. He knows that we can accomplish more through our prayers than through our work. He would rather have us do anything else than pray.

We have already referred to Satan's opposition to prayer: Angels our march oppose Who still in strength excel Our secret, sworn, relentless foes, Countless, invisible.

But we need not fear them, nor heed them, if our eyes are ever unto the Lord. The holy angels are stronger than fallen angels, and we can leave the celestial hosts to guard us. We believe that to them --the hosts of evil --we owe those wandering thoughts which so often wreck prayer. We no sooner kneel than we "recollect" something that should have been done, or something which had better be seen to at once.

These thoughts come from without, and are surely due to the promptings of evil spirits. The only cure for wandering thoughts is to get our minds fixed upon G.o.d. Undoubtedly a man's worst foe is himself. Prayer is for a child of G.o.d --and one who is living as a child of G.o.d should pray.

The great question is: Am I harboring any foes in my heart? Are there traitors within? G.o.d cannot give us His best spiritual blessings unless we fulfil conditions of trust, obedience and service. Do we not often ask earnestly for the highest spiritual gifts, without even any thought of fulfilling the necessary requirements? Do we not often ask for blessings we are not fitted to receive?

Dare we be honest with ourselves, alone in the presence of G.o.d? Dare we say sincerely, "Search me, O G.o.d, and see --"? Is there anything in me which is hindering G.o.d's blessing for me and through me? We discuss the "problem of prayer"; we are the problem that needs discussing or dissecting! Prayer is all right! There is no problem in prayer to the heart which is absolutely stayed on Christ.

Now, we shall not quote the usual Bible texts which show how prayer may be frustrated. We merely desire that everyone should get a glimpse of his own heart. No sin is too small to hinder prayer, and perhaps to turn the very prayer itself into sin, if we are not willing to renounce that sin. The Moslems in West Africa have a saying, "If there is no purity, there is no prayer; if there is no prayer, there is no drinking of the water of heaven." This truth is so clearly taught in Scripture that it is amazing that any should try to retain both sin and prayer. Yet very many do this. Even David cried, long ages ago, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psa. lxvi. 18).

And Isaiah says, "Your iniquities have separated between you and your G.o.d, and your sins have hid his face from you" (Isa. lix. 2). Surely we must all agree that it is sin in us, and not the unwillingness of Christ to hear, that hinders prayer. As a rule, it is some little sin, so-called, that mars and spoils the prayer-life. There may be: (1) Doubt. Now, unbelief is possibly the greatest hindrance to prayer. Our Lord said that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin --"of sin because they believe not on Me" (St. John xvi. 9). We are not "of the world," yet is there not much practical unbelief in many of us? St. James, writing to believers, says: "Ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth . . . let not that man think he shall receive anything of the Lord" (St. James i. 6-8). Some have not because they ask not. Others "have not" because they believe not. Did you think it a little strange that we spent so much time over adoration and thanksgiving before we came to the "asking"? But surely, if we get a glimpse of the glorious majesty of our Lord, and the wonders of His love and grace, unbelief and doubt will vanish away as mists before the rising sun? Was this not the reason that Abraham "staggered not," "wavered not through unbelief," in that he gave G.o.d the glory due unto His name, and was therefore "fully a.s.sured that what He had promised He was able also to perform"? (Rom. iv. 20, 21). Knowing what we do of G.o.d's stupendous love, is it not amazing that we should ever doubt?

(2) Then there is Self --the root of all sin. How selfish we are p.r.o.ne to be even in our "good works"! How we hesitate to give up anything which "self" craves for. Yet we know that a full hand cannot take Christ's gifts. Was this why the Savior, in the prayer He first taught, coupled us with everything else?

"Our" is the first word. "Our Father . . . give us . . . forgive us . . . deliver us . .

Pride prevents prayer, for prayer is a very humbling thing. How hateful pride must be in the sight of G.o.d! It is G.o.d who gives us all things "richly to enjoy."

"What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" asks St. Paul (I Cor. iv. 7). Surely, surely we are not going to let pride, with its hateful, ugly sister, jealousy, ruin our prayer-life? G.o.d cannot do great things for us whereby we may be glad if they are going to "turn our heads." Oh, how foolish we can be!

Sometimes, when we are insistent, G.o.d does give us what we ask, at the expense of our holiness. "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul" (Psa. cvi. 15). O G.o.d, save us from that --save us from self! Again, self a.s.serts itself in criticising others. Let this thought burn itself into your memory --the more like Jesus Christ a man becomes, the less he judges other people. It is an infallible test. Those who are always criticising others have drifted away from Christ. They may still be His, but have lost His Spirit of love. Beloved reader, if you have a criticising nature, allow it to dissect yourself and never your neighbor. You will be able to give it full scope, and it will never be unemployed! Is this a harsh remark? Does it betray a tendency to commit the very sin --for it is sin --it condemns? It would do so were it spoken to any one individual. But its object is to pierce armor which is seemingly invulnerable. And no one who, for one month, has kept his tongue "from picking and stealing" the reputation of other people will ever desire to go back again to back-biting. "Love suffereth long and is kind" (I Cor. xiii. 4). Do we? Are we?

We are ourselves no better because we have managed to paint other people in worse colors than ourselves. But, singularly enough, we enhance our own spiritual joy and our own living witness for Christ when we refuse to pa.s.s on disparaging information about others, or when we refrain from "judging" the work or lives of other people. It may be hard at first, but it soon brings untold joy, and is rewarded by the love of all around. It is most hard to keep silent in the face of "modern" heresies. Are we not told to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints"? (Jude 3.) Sometimes we must speak out --but let it always be in the spirit of love. "Rather let error live than love die."

Even in our private prayers fault-finding of others must be resolutely avoided. Read once more the story of John Hyde praying for the "cold brother." Believe me, a criticising spirit destroys holiness of life more easily than anything else, because it is such an eminently respectable sin, and makes such easy victims of us. We need scarcely add that when a believer is filled with the Spirit of Christ.--who is Love --he will never tell others of the unchristian behavior he may discern in his friends. "He was most rude to me"; "He is too conceited"; "I can't stand that man"; and such-like remarks are surely unkind, unnecessary, and often untrue.

Our dear Lord suffered the contradiction of sinners against Himself, but He never complained or published abroad the news to others. Why should we do so? Self must be dethroned if Christ is to reign supreme. There must be no idols in the heart. Do you remember what G.o.d said of some leaders of religion? "These men have taken their idols into their heart . . . ; should I be inquired of at all by them?" (Ezek. xiv. 3.) When our aim is solely the glory of G.o.d, then G.o.d can answer our prayers. Christ Himself rather than His gifts should be our desire. "Delight thyself in the Lord and He shall give thee the pet.i.tions of thine heart" (Psa. x.x.xvii. 4, R.V., marg.).

"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward G.o.d; and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight" (I John iii. 21, 22).

It is as true today as in the early days of Christianity that men ask, and receive not, because they ask amiss that they may spend it on their pleasures --.i.e., self (James iv. 3).

(3) Unlove in the heart is possibly the greatest hindrance to prayer. A loving spirit is a condition of believing prayer. We cannot be wrong with man and right with G.o.d. The spirit of prayer is essentially the spirit of love. Intercession is simply love at prayer.

He prayeth best who loveth best All things both great and small; For the great G.o.d Who loveth us, He made and loveth all.

Dare we hate or dislike those whom G.o.d loves? If we do, can we really possess the Spirit of Christ? We really must face these elementary facts in our faith if prayer is to be anything more than a mere form. Our Lord not only says, "And pray for those that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. v. 44, 45).

We venture to think that large numbers of so-called Christians have never faced this question. To hear how many Christian workers --and prominent ones, too --speak of others from whom they disagree, one must charitably suppose they have never heard that command of our Lord!

Our daily life in the world is the best indication of our power in prayer. G.o.d deals with my prayers not according to the spirit and tone which I exhibit when I am praying in public or private, but according to the spirit I show in my daily life.

Hot-tempered people can make only frigid prayers. If we do not obey our Lord's command and love one another, our prayers are well-nigh worthless. If we harbor an unforgiving spirit it is almost wasted time to pray. Yet a prominent Dean of one of our cathedrals was recently reported to have said that there are some people we can never forgive! If so, we trust that he uses an abridged form of the Lord's prayer. Christ taught us to say "Forgive us . . . as we forgive." And He goes farther than this. He declares, "If ye forgive not men their trespa.s.ses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespa.s.ses" (Matt. vi. 15). May we ever exhibit the Spirit of Christ, and not forfeit our own much-needed forgiveness. How many of our readers who have not the slightest intention of forgiving their enemies, or even their offending friends, repeated the Lord's prayer today?

Many Christians have never given prayer a fair chance. It is not through conscious insincerity, but from want of thought. The blame for it really rests upon those of us who preach and teach. We are p.r.o.ne to teach doctrines rather than doings. Most men desire to do what is right, but they regard the big things rather than the little failings in the life of love.

Our Lord goes so far as to say that even our gifts are not to be presented to G.o.d if we remember that our brother "hath ought against us" (Matt. v. 23). If He will not accept our gifts, is it likely He will answer our prayers? It was when Job ceased contending with his enemies (whom the Bible calls his "friends") that the Lord "turned his captivity" and gave him twice as much as he had before (Job xlii. 10).

How slow we are --how unwilling we are --to see that our lives hinder our prayers! And how unwilling we are to act on love-lines. Yes, we desire to "win" men. Our Lord shows us one way. Don't publish abroad his wrongdoings. Speak to him alone, and "thou hast gained thy brother" (Matt. xviii. 15). Most of us have rather pained our brothers!

Even the home-life may hinder the prayer-life. See what Peter says about how we should so live in the home that our "prayers be not hindered" (I Peter iii. 110). We would venture to urge every reader to ask G.o.d to search his heart once again and to show him if there is "any root of bitterness" towards anyone. We all desire to do what is pleasing to G.o.d. It would be an immense gain to our spiritual life if we would resolve not to attempt to pray until we had done all in our power to make peace and harmony between ourselves and any with whom we have quarreled. Until we do this as far as lies in our power, our prayers are just wasted breath. Unkindly feelings towards another hinder G.o.d from helping us in the way He desires.

A loving life is an essential condition of believing prayer. G.o.d challenges us again, today, to become fit persons to receive His superabundant blessings. Many of us have to decide whether we will choose a bitter, unforgiving spirit, or the tender mercies and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is it not amazing that any man can halt between two opinions with such a choice in the balance? For bitterness harms the bitter more than anyone else.

"Whensoever ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against anyone; that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you" (Mark xi. 25). So said the blessed Master. Must we not then either forgive, or cease trying to pray?

What shall it profit a man if he gain all his time to pretend to pray, if he harbors unlove in his heart to prevent real prayer? How the devil laughs at us because we do not see this truth!

We have G.o.d's word for it that eloquence, knowledge, faith, liberality, and even martyrdom profit a man nothing --get hold of it --nothing, unless his heart is filled with love (I Cor. xiii.). "Therefore give us love."

(4) Refusal to do our part may hinder G.o.d answering our prayers. Love calls forth compa.s.sion and service at the sight of sin and suffering, both here and overseas. Just as St. Paul's heart was "stirred" --"provoked" --within him as he beheld the city full of idols (Acts xvii. 16). We cannot be sincere when we pray "Thy kingdom come" unless we are doing what we can to hasten the coming of that kingdom --by our gifts, our prayers and our service.

We cannot be quite sincere in praying for the conversion of the unG.o.dly unless we are willing to speak a word, or write a letter, or make some attempt to bring him under the influence of the Gospel. Before one of Moody's great missions he was present at a meeting for prayer asking for G.o.d's blessing. Several wealthy men were there. One began to pray that G.o.d would send sufficient funds to defray the expenses. Moody at once stopped him. "We need not trouble G.o.d about that," he said quietly, "we are able to answer that prayer!"

(5) Praying only in secret may be a hindrance. Children of a family should not always meet their father separately. It is remarkable how often our Lord refers to united prayer --"agreed" prayer. "When ye pray, say, Our Father"; "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them. . . . For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. xviii. 19, 20).

We feel sure that the weakness in the spiritual life of many churches is to be traced to an inefficient prayer-meeting, or the absence of meetings for prayer. Daily matins and evensong, even when reverent and without the unseemly haste which is so often a.s.sociated with them, cannot take the place of less formal gatherings for prayer, in which everyone may take part. Can we not make the weekly prayer-meeting a live thing and a living force?

(6) raise is as important as prayer. We must enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise, and give thanks unto Him and bless His name (Ps. c. 4). At one time in his life Praying Hyde was led to ask for four souls a day to be brought into the fold by his ministry. If on any day the number fell short of this, there would be such a weight on his heart that it was positively painful, and he could neither eat nor sleep. Then. in prayer he would ask the Lord to show him what was the obstacle in himself. He invariably found that it was the want of praise in his life. He would confess his sinfulness and pray for a spirit of praise. He said that as he praised G.o.d seeking souls would come to him. We do not imply that we, too, should limit G.o.d to definite numbers or ways of working; but we do cry: "Rejoice! Praise G.o.d with heart and mind and soul."

It is not by accident that we are so often bidden to "rejoice in the Lord." G.o.d does not want miserable children; and none of His children has cause for misery. St. Paul, the most persecuted of men, was a man of song. Hymns of praise came from his lips in prison and out of prison: day and night he praised His Savior. The very order of his exhortations is significant. "Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks: for this is the will of G.o.d in Christ Jesus to you" (I Thess. v. 16-18).

The will of G.o.d. Get that thought into your mind. It is not an optional thing.

REJOICE: PRAY: GIVE THANKS.

That is the order, according to the will of G.o.d --for you, and for me. Nothing so pleases G.o.d as our praises --and nothing so blesses the man who prays as the praises he offers! "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the pet.i.tions of thine heart" (Ps. x.x.xvii. 4, R.V., marg.).

A missionary who had received very bad news from home, was utterly cast down. Prayer availed nothing to relieve the darkness of his soul. He went to see another missionary, no doubt seeking comfort. There on the wall was a motto-card: "Try Thanksgiving!" He did; and in a moment every shadow was gone, never to return.

Do we praise enough to get our prayers answered? If we truly trust Him, we shall always praise Him. For G.o.d nothing does nor suffers to be done But thou would'st do thyself Could'st thou but see The end of all events as well as He.

One who once overheard Luther praying said, "Gracious G.o.d! What spirit and what faith is there in his expressions! He pet.i.tions G.o.d with as much reverence as if he were in the Divine presence, and yet with as firm a hope and confidence as he would address a father or a friend." That child of G.o.d seemed quite unconscious that "hindrances to prayer" existed!

After all that has been said, we see that everything can be summed up under one head. All hindrance to prayer arises from ignorance of the teaching of G.o.d's Holy Word on the life of holiness He has planned for all His children, or from an unwillingness to consecrate ourselves fully to Him.

When we can truthfully say to our Father, "All that I am and have is thine," then He can say to us, "All that is mine is thine."

Chapter 12: WHO MAY PRAY?.

IT is only two centuries ago that six undergraduates were expelled from the University of Oxford solely because they met together in each other's rooms for extempore prayer! Whereupon George Whitefield wrote to the ViceChancellor, "It is to be hoped that, as some have been expelled for extempore praying, we shall hear of some few others of a contrary stamp being expelled for extempore swearing." Today, thank G.o.d, no man in our land is hindered by his fellow-men from praying. Any man may pray --but has every man a right to pray? Does G.o.d listen to anyone ?

Who may pray? Is it the privilege --the right --of all men? Not everyone can claim the right to approach the King of our realm. But there are certain persons and bodies of people who have the privilege of immediate access to our sovereign. The Prime Minister has that privilege. The ancient Corporation of the City of London can at anytime lay its pet.i.tion at the feet of the King. The amba.s.sador of a foreign power may do the same. He has only to present himself at the gate of the palace of the King, and no power can stand between him and the monarch. He can go at once into the royal presence and present his request. But none of these has such ease of access and such loving welcome as the Kings own son.

But there is the King of kings --the G.o.d and Father of us all. Who may go to Him? Who may exercise this privilege --yes, this power --with G.o.d? We are told --and there is much truth in the remark --that in the most skeptical man or generation prayer is always underneath the surface, waiting. Has it the right to come forth at anytime? In some religions it has to wait. Of all the millions in India living in the bondage of Hinduism, none may pray except the Brahmins!

A millionaire merchant of any other caste must perforce get a Brahmin --often a mere boy at school! --to say his prayers for him.

The Mohammedan cannot pray unless he has learned a few phrases in Arabic, for his "G.o.d" only hears prayers offered in what they believe to be the holy language. Praise be to G.o.d, no such restrictions of caste or language stand between us and our G.o.d. Can any man, therefore, pray?

Yes, you reply, anyone. But the Bible does not say so. Only a child of G.o.d can truly pray to G.o.d. Only a son can enter His presence. It is gloriously true that anyone can cry to Him for help --for pardon and mercy. But that is scarcely prayer. Prayer is much more than that. Prayer is going into "the secret place of the Most High," and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. xci. 1). Prayer is a making known to G.o.d our wants and desires, and holding out the hand of faith to take His gifts. Prayer is the result of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. It is communion with G.o.d. Now, there can scarcely be communion between a king and a rebel. What communion hath light with darkness? (II Cor. vi. 14.) In ourselves we have no right to pray. We have access to G.o.d only through the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. iii. 18, ii. 12).

Prayer is much more than the cry of a drowning man --of a man sinking in the whirlpool of sin: "Lord, save me! I am lost! I am undone! Redeem me! Save me!" Anyone can do this, and that is a pet.i.tion which is never unanswered, and one, if sincere, to which the answer is never delayed. For "man cannot be G.o.d's outlaw if he would." But that is not prayer in the Bible sense. Even the lions, roaring after their prey, seek their meat from G.o.d; but that is not prayer.

We know that our Lord said, "Everyone that asketh receiveth" (Matt. vii. 8). He did say so, but to whom? He was speaking to His disciples (Matt. v. 1, 2). Yes, prayer is communion with G.o.d: the "home-life" of the soul, as one describes it. And I much question whether there can be any communion with Him unless the Holy Spirit dwells in the heart, and we have "received" the Son, and so have the right to be called "children of G.o.d" (John i. 12).

Prayer is the privilege of a child. Children of G.o.d alone can claim from the heavenly Father the things which He hath prepared for them that love Him. Our Lord told us that in prayer we should call G.o.d "our Father." Surely only children can use that word? St. Paul says that it is "because ye are sons G.o.d sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father'" (Gal. iv. 6). Is this what was in G.o.d's mind when, in dealing with Job's "comforters," He said, "My servant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept"? (Job xlii. 8.) It looked as if they would not have been "accepted" in the matter of prayer. But as soon as one becomes a "son of G.o.d" he must enter the school of prayer.

"Behold, he prayeth," said our Lord of a man as soon as he was converted. Yet that man had "said" prayers all his life (Acts ix. 11). Converted men not only may pray, but must pray --each man for himself, and, of course, for others. But, unless and until we can truthfully call G.o.d "Father," we have no claim to be treated as children --as "sons," "heirs of G.o.d and joint heirs with Christ" --no claim at all. Do you say this is hard? Nay, surely it is natural. Has a "child" no privileges?

But do not misunderstand me. This does not shut any man out of the kingdom of heaven. Anyone, anywhere, .can cry, "G.o.d be merciful to me, a sinner!" Any man who is outside the fold of Christ, outside the family of G.o.d, however bad he may be, or however good he thinks he is, can this very moment become a child of G.o.d, even as he reads these words. One look to Christ in faith is sufficient "Look and live." G.o.d did not even say "see" --He says just look! Turn your face to G.o.d.

How did those Galatian Christians become "sons of G.o.d"? By faith in Christ.

"For ye are all sons of G.o.d through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. iii. 26). Christ will make any man a son of G.o.d by adoption and grace the moment he turns to Him in true repentance and faith. But we have no rightful claim even upon G.o.d's providence unless we are His children. We cannot say with any confidence or certainty, "I shall not want," unless we can say, with confidence and certainty, "The Lord is my Shepherd."

A child, however, has a right to his father's care, and love, and protection, and provision. Now, a child can only enter a family by being born into it. We become children of G.o.d by being "born again," "born from above" (John iii. 3, 5). That is, by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (John iii. 16).

Having said all this as a warning, and perhaps as an explanation why some people find prayer an utter failure, we hasten to add that G.o.d often hears and answers prayer even from those who have no legal right to pray --from those who are not His "children," and may even deny that He exists! The Gospels tell us of not a few unbelievers who came to Christ for healing; and He never sent one away without the coveted blessing --never. They came as "beggars," not as "children." And even if "the children must first be fed," these others received the crumbs --yea, and more than crumbs --that were freely given.

So today G.o.d often hears the cry of unbelievers for temporal mercies. One case well known to the writer may be given as an ill.u.s.tration. My friend told me that he had been an atheist many years. Whilst an infidel, he had been singing for forty years in a church choir because he was fond of music. His aged father became seriously ill two or three years ago, and lay in great pain. The doctors were helpless to relieve the sufferer. In his distress for his father, the infidel choirman fell on his knees and cried, "O G.o.d, if there is a G.o.d, show Thy power by taking away, my father's pain!" G.o.d heard the man's piteous cry, and removed the pain immediately. The "atheist" praised G.o.d, and hurried off to his vicar to find out the way of salvation! Today he is outand-out for Christ, giving his whole time to work for his newly-found Savior. Yes, G.o.d is greater than His promises, and is more willing to hear than we are to pray.

Perhaps the most striking of all "prayers" from the lips of unbelievers is that recorded of Caroline Fry, the author of Christ Our Example. Although possessed of beauty, wealth, position and friends, she found that none of them satisfied, and at length, in her utter misery, she sought G.o.d. Yet her first utterance to Him was an expression of open rebellion to and hatred of Him!

Listen to it --it is not the prayer of a "child": -- "O G.o.d, if Thou art a G.o.d: I do not love Thee; I do not want Thee; I do not believe there is any happiness in Thee: but I am miserable as I am. Give me what I do not seek; give me what I do not want. If Thou canst, make me happy. I am miserable as I am. I am tired of this world; if there is anything better, give it me."

What a "prayer"! Yet G.o.d heard and answered. He forgave the wanderer and made her radiantly happy and gloriously fruitful in His service.

In even savage bosoms There are longings, servings, yearnings For the good they comprehend not.

And their feeble hands and helpless.

Groping blindly in the darkness, Touch G.o.d's right hand in the darkness, And are lifted up and strengthened.

Shall we, then, alter our question a little, and ask, who has a right to pray?" Only children of G.o.d in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. But, even so, we must remember that no man can come unashamed and with confidence to his Father in heaven unless he is living as a son of G.o.d should live. We cannot expect a father to lavish his favors upon erring children. Only a faithful and sanctified son can pray with the Spirit and pray with the understanding also (I Cor. xiv. 15).

But if we are sons of G.o.d, nothing but sin can hinder our prayers. We, His children, have the right of access to G.o.d at any time, in any place. And He understands any form of prayer. We may have a wonderful gift of speech pouring itself out in a torrent of thanksgiving, pet.i.tion, and praise like St. Paul; or we may have the quiet, deep, lover-like communion of a St. John. The brilliant scholar like John Wesley and the humble cobbler like William Carey are alike welcome at the throne of grace. Influence at the court of heaven depends not upon birth, or brilliancy, or achievement, but upon humble and utter independence upon the Son of the King.

Moody attributed his marvelous success to the prayers of an obscure and almost unknown invalid woman! And truly the invalid saints of England could bring about a speedy revival by their prayers. Oh, that all the shut-ins" would speak out!