Prayer and Practice # 2

Prayer and Practice # 2

Professors ask to have the mind of Christ, and to imitate the example of their Lord. But where is the assiduous endeavor, the laboring effort, to copy this high model, in its self-denying condescension, its profound humility, its beautiful meekness, its indifference to worldly comforts, its forgiving mercy, its devotedness to God?

How often do we pray to be delivered from evil tempers and irascible feelings; and yet we indulge them on every slight provocation, and take no pains to subdue them! But it is unnecessary to multiply the illustrations of the inconsistency between our prayers and our practice. Alas! alas! who must not blush and be ashamed for his hypocrisy before God? 

2. Prayers which relate to OTHERS. We pray for the conversion of our children. What fervent petitions are breathed out for them! Well, and how are these prayers followed up? By the serious, regular, and devout maintenance of family prayer? By clear instruction, affectionate counsels, faithful warning, and above all, a consistent exhibition of the beauties of holiness in ourselves??? Do our children see in us, and hear from us, all that can recommend true religion, and that is calculated to win them to piety? Or, on the contrary, do they not place our conduct and our prayers in contrast, and think, if they do not say, that it is a pity their father and mother do not act more as they pray!

All  consistent members of a Christian church of any denomination, pray for its prosperity. This should be followed up with a peaceful, judicious, and unwearied effort to promote the good of the church. But is it?

The minister is the constant theme of supplication. It would appear as if everyone were his helper, comforter, and fellow-laborer. What conduct it should be to comport with such prayers! What active men these praying men should be! And yet is it not too true to be denied, that these prayers have, in some instances, been the cover of the greatest indifference, and even of the most active unkindness?

But I come now to another instance of disagreement between prayer and practice; and that is seen in the petitions presented for the revival of religion. Who does not often ask for this; for a spirit of more fervent, glowing, self-denying, and consistent piety, to spread over the church, and for more numerous conversions of impenitent sinners? We continually hear this petition ascend from the lips of our brethren, "Lord, revive your work in the midst of us;" and it might be looked for that it would be attended with corresponding efforts to obtain the blessing that we thus seek. Yet many pray for revivals who take no steps to promote them. Do they begin with themselves, and endeavor that their own religion may be revived? Do they remember that the quickening of the whole consists of the quickening of the parts of which it is composed, and that it is obligatory upon them to seek that it should begin with themselves?  A revival can be expected only in the way of general activity - it must not be left wholly to ministers - there is something for everybody to do; and if in this way,  doing be not added to praying, the latter savors much of hypocrisy. To pray for the conversion of souls, and do nothing by direct efforts to achieve it, is shocking inconsistency.

Praying is a very solemn engagement, and should not be so trifled with; but it is awfully trifled with, when it is treated as if it imposed no obligation upon us in reference to the objects for which it is presented. God has said he will be sanctified in all those who draw near to Him; but is this to sanctify him, to offer prayers which we do not wish or mean should be answered? Is this to serve Him with reverence and godly fear, and remembering that He is a consuming fire -to importune Him for an object, and from that moment care nothing about it, and do nothing to obtain it? How indignantly did He reproach the Jews for their feigned devotions, where He said, "This people draws near unto me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me!" "So My people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don't obey them. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue unjust gain. Yes, to them you are like a singer of love songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. They hear your words, but they don't obey them." (Ezekiel 33:31-32).

Prayer is a solemn and a holy thing, the effect of true piety, and intended and designed when properly performed, to increase its own cause. We should be the better, not only through our prayers, as a means of obtaining blessings from God, but by them, on account of their own influence upon ourselves. Prayer improves the character, as well as comforts the heart. Prayer exerts a counteracting influence on whatever tends to injure the soul, and a beneficial effect on all that is calculated to do it good.

Prayer is adoration; and what is so adapted to produce profound and habitual veneration for God, as the contemplation and praise of His infinitely glorious perfections? Pray is confession of sin; and when is sin more apt to melt the heart into the soft relentings of godly contrition, than when carefully recounted to Him against whom it has been all committed, with a spirit awed into reverence and submission by the pure majesty of the Divine presence? Prayer is supplication for blessings needed; and what a sense of dependence, what a feeling of want, what a confidence in God for supplies is this exercise likely to produce? Prayer is intercession for others; and how does it nourish all the feelings of kindliness, pity, benevolence, and universal charity? Prayer is usually attended with thanksgiving for mercies received, and its breath fans the spark of gratitude, until it is kindled into a flame of pure and ardent love. Payer resists the influence of the world, raises the soul out of the region of temporal things, and places it within sight and attraction of unseen and eternal things. 

Among the many confessions of our sins, and supplications for pardoning mercy, which we are, or ought to be, continually laying before the footstool of God's throne of grace, the following should have a place - "Lord, forgive our misuse of the faculty of speech; pardon our unmeaning, insincere, and deceptive language towards our fellow-creatures, even where it is not our actual intention to lie; and especially forgive our unmeaning prayers, and our insincere devotions; which though they be not the offspring of designing hypocrisy, are the effusions of ignorance, carelessness and formalism."

Therefore, not only give yourselves to prayer, but yield yourselves up to the power, direction and control of your own devotions. Do no pray less, but do more. What you have to do is be men and women of prayer, and then let your character be cast in the mold of your prayers. We see things more clearly, and feel them most impressively, when we are prostrate before the throne of God, and in His presence let us realize His presence is everywhere, and at all times; then shall we be likely to be the same people in action, as we are in devotion, and glorify our Father in heaven, not only by what we say to Him - but by what we do for Him.

~John Angell James~

(The End)