Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Spurgeon on Prayer

I read this from Beside Still Waters the other morning and it has just stuck with me. I love to pray. I love to watch the Lord answer prayers. Today I was thinking about our marriage, our move, our children, our dear, dear family (we sure do miss y'all!!), my sweet friends - one who is beginning homeschooling, another who just moved way too far away, another who is beginning to potty train her twins, another who is caring for her little girl who is going through cancer while serving her husband and caring for her son, another whose husband just lost his job, another who is serving the Lord in a far off land, - oh the list could go on and on! And I love that the Lord hears all our prayers. Not only does He hear them, He is compassionate and loving and kind in ALL His ways! He gives us all we need for life and godliness. He, the God of the universe, gave His own Son as a sacrifice for our sins! When Jesus cried out "It is finished" it wasn't a cry of relief, it was a cry of VICTORY! Because of His love for us we can draw near to His throne of grace!!

Here's the quote!

"The poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him" (Psalm 34:6). The man was alone, and the only one who heard him was the Lord. Yes, the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, the All-glorious, heard his prayer. God stooped from His eternal glory and gave attention to his cry.

Never think that a praying heart pleads to a deaf God. Never imagine that God is so far removed that He fails to notice our needs. God hears prayer and grants His children's desires and requests.

We can never pray earnestly until we believe that God hears prayer. I have been told, "Prayer is an excellent exercise, highly satisfying and useful, but nothing more. Prayer cannot move the Infinite Mind." Do not believe so gross a lie or you will soon stop praying. No one prays for the mere love of the act. Amid all the innumerable actions of divine power, the Lord never ceases to listen to the cries of those who seek His face. This verse is always true, "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Ps. 34:17). What a glorious fact! Truly marvelous!

This is still Jehovah's special title: the God who hears prayer. We often come from the throne of grace as certain that God heard us as we were sure that we had prayed. The astounding answers to our supplications are proof positive that prayer climbs above the regions of earth and time and touches God and His infinity. Yes, it is still true, the Lord will hear your prayer.

2 comments:

Cynthia said...

Oh Meghann I'm so glad you wrote this! Just tonight I was praying and feeling "empty"--not feeling the Holy Spirit, but knowing, believing that God is and always will be with me, whether I am filled with His Spirit or not. Your entry expresses exactly how I feel right now: God hears all prayers and is NEVER out of reach!

Mimi said...

Your mother gave me Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional several years ago...it continues to nourish my soul with his wisdom from the scriptures...thank you for this one...