Morning and Evening

July 7, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"Brethren, pray for us." — 1 Thessalonians 5:25 · KJV

This one morning in the year we reserve to refresh the reader's memory on the subject of prayer for ministers, and we most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text, first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous, involving the weal or woe of thousands; we deal with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests on us, and it will be no small mercy if, at the last, we are found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's army, we are the special mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our stumbling and labor to trip us up. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt; above all, it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a loss; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see multitudes perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be a blessing to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and to sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You look not to us, but to our Master, for spiritual blessings; and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers! Ask, then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We — the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students — do, in the name of Jesus, beseech you: brethren, pray for us.

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