583. ROM 12:12. SAVING RELIGION A RELIGION OF PRAYER
Rom_12:12. Saving Religion a Religion of Prayer
"Continuing instant in prayer."’97Rom_12:12.
All religions, whether true or false, recognize the duty of prayer. The Mahommedan often approaches God in the name of the Great Prophet. The Pagan bows down to his idol, supplicating good, and deprecating evil. The wild Indian utters his desires to the unseen Great Spirit. Hence it may be said that the religious emotions of the mind, those emotions which are natural to it, lead men, under all circumstances, to the exercise of prayer. Prayer formed one of the leading elements of patriarchal religion. Prayer was a chief exercise under the Mosaic economy,’97the tabernacle was for devotion as well as sacrifices,’97and the temple was to be a house of prayer for all nations. In the religion of the New Testament this stands prominently out. Jesus was emphatically a man of prayer. When he taught the people, he instructed them how to pray. When he wrought miracles, he sanctified them by prayer. When he was baptized, he prayed. When he was transfigured, he prayed. In his agony in the garden, he prayed more earnestly. When he hung on the cross, his dying breath he spent in prayer. And now exalted on high, seated at the right hand of the Father, he ever liveth to make intercession for us. No proof more can be necessary that saving religion is essentially a religion of prayer. But we ask,
I. What is prayer?
II. What must be its distinguishing features?
III. And how instant prayer is to be sustained?
I. What is prayer? Prayer is the presenting of the desires to God. Now this may be clone,
1. Without words. When the longings of the soul silently, yet earnestly, ascend to God. When the heart ejaculates its wishes, without words, as Nehemiah did when in the presence of the Persian monarch. But while we may pray without audible words, we cannot pray without the heart. The, desires must be those of the inward soul. The fervent emotions of the Spirit. And when this is wanting, it is not prayer. Or prayer,
2. May be expressed in words. This is the most usual form of prayer. Generally from the fulness of the heart the mouth uttereth. And in praying with words, there may be either words, extemporally conceived and expressed, or they may be in the words of scripture remembered by us, and appropriated as suited to our necessities. Thus many of the prayers of David. Thus the Lord’s prayer. Thus the prayers of the apostles in their epistles. And when persons from want of the gift of prayer, or from timidity and fear, cannot thus pray, there can be no reason why they may not use printed forms of prayer, and thus piously make known their requests to God. But it should be the desire of every Christian to have the gift of prayer, that they may be independent of all forms of prayer, and may at all times, and under all circumstances, approach the throne of the heavenly grace. Now in prayer, we may appropriately include,
(1.) The adoration and blessing of God.
(2.) Thanksgiving for former mercies,’97with confession of our sins.
(3.) Deprecation of evil.
(4.) Supplication for the various mercies we need. And,
(5.) Intercession for the Divine blessing to rest on all men. With,
(6.) Pleading; that is, urging our requests, and using the Divine promises, and the mediation of the Lord Jesus, as the ground of our expectation, that our prayers may be answered. Observe,
II. What must be its distinguishing features?
1. Sincerity. In order to this we must feel our wants,’97pray from an inward sense of our need and dependance: there can be no prayer without this. And without this, the service is hypocrisy, or at best a mere formal service. How needful and important to guard against this. "This people draw nigh to me with their mouths, and honor me," &c.
2. Simplicity. Not to imagine that we must clothe our desires in words of elegance or grandeur. Remember that the mind can do nothing in this way equal to the mind of the lofty Being we approach. We should rather study child-like simplicity. How beautifully so, is the Lord’s prayer. "Our Father," &c.
3. Humility. We must have due thoughts of our own insignificance and unworthiness. If ever we should be bowed down as in dust and ashes, it is in prayer. Think of the majesty and glory of God. The grandeur of his throne. The purity of his nature,’97and then look at our pollution and guilt. It is to the lowly that God looks,’97with the contrite God dwells. "Though the Lord be high," &c.
4. Believing confidence. "He who cometh to God," &c. This is especially insisted on, that we have faith in God when we approach him in prayer. Let us just refer to a few passages of the Divine word on this vital subject: Jam_1:5, Jam_1:6. Mat_21:22. Mat_11:24. Now our faith in prayer must have respect to two things,
(1.) God’s promise. And (2.) Christ’s mediation. Belief in what God has spoken, and what Christ has done, and is doing for us. Look at the first of these,’97Luk_11:9, Luk_11:13. Joh_13:13, Joh_13:16-23, &c. Hence the exhortation of the apostle: "Let us come boldly," &c.
5. With expectation. That is, we are to pray and watch thereunto. Look for what we have asked. So does the petitioner for the reply of his sovereign. So does the beggar for the alms he seeks. So should the Christian for the blessings he has sought. Look for the returns of prayer,
6. With reverential submission. Deferring all to God’s wisdom and love. Leaving the mode and time to him who cannot err, bowing to that kindness and love which cannot falter or change. To that faithfulness that endureth through all generations. But the text calls us to instant prayer; that is, to constant persevering prayer. Therefore we ask,
III. How is it to be sustained? How are we to be instant in prayer? To pray always. "To pray without ceasing," &c.
1. By continuing to cherish a sense of our entire dependance on God. Nothing can be more true than this. But we must recognize it’97feel it’97cherish it. Endeavor to realize it every moment.
2. By daily intimacy with the Divine word. We cannot read the scriptures without the flame of devotion being kept alive. If we read the scriptures in the spirit of lowliness, we shall catch the devotional feeling of its sacred writers.
3. By. duly regarding the means of grace. The public means of grace,’97the domestic,’97the secret.
4. By seeking from God the spirit of prayer. The fire on the altar must never go out. If so, then we must be constantly bringing down the reviving Spirit of God into our souls.
Application
1. How greatly is the spirit of prayer undervalued by numbers of the professing Church. Hence a speech, a sermon, or meeting, will attract them. But the meeting for devotion is slightly estimated and greatly neglected.
2. How essentially prayer is connected with every part of experimental and practical religion. If we would grow in knowledge, we must pray. In grace, pray. In joy. In vigor. In holy maturity. In usefulness. In fitness for life, or meetness for glory.
3. We call upon the prayerless now to commence a life of prayer. Seek the Divine mercy. Seek a heart to pray. Seek to enjoy the blessedness of prayer, and seek it this hour in the sanctuary of God.
Autor: JABEZ BURNS