October 11, Morning
C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling
"Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." — Lamentations 3:41 · KJV
The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, a very wholesome lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us favors without making us pray for them, we would never know how poor we are; but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue of needs, a revelation of hidden poverty. While it is an application to divine wealth, it is a confession of human emptiness. The healthiest state of a Christian is to be always empty of self and constantly depending on the Lord for supplies — always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water in ourselves, but mighty through God to do great exploits. Hence the use of prayer: for while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be, in the very dust. Prayer is in itself, apart from the answer it brings, a great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise, so for the great race of life we gain energy by the hallowed labor of prayer. Prayer feathers the wings of God's young eaglets, that they may learn to mount above the clouds; prayer girds the loins of God's warriors and sends them out to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm. An earnest pleader comes out of his closet even as the sun rises from the chambers of the east, rejoicing like a strong man to run his race. Prayer is that uplifted hand of Moses which routs the Amalekites more surely than the sword of Joshua; it is the arrow shot from the prophet's chamber, foretelling defeat to the Syrians. Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives troubled mortals the peace of God. We do not know what prayer cannot do! We thank You, great God, for the mercy seat, a choice proof of Your marvelous lovingkindness. Help us to use it aright throughout this day!