Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air; His watchword at the gates of death; He enters Heaven with prayer.
From praying Christ eliminates all self-sufficiency, all pride, and all spiritual values. The poor in spirit are the praying ones. Beggars are God’s princes. They are God’s heirs. Christ removes the rubbish of Jewish traditions and glosses from the regulations of the prayer altar.
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
“But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother has aught against thee:
“Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
He who essays to pray to God with an angry spirit, with loose and irreverent lips, with an irreconciled heart, and with unsettled neighbourly scores, spends his labour for that which is worse than naught, violates the law of prayer, and adds to his sin.
How rigidly exacting is Christ’s law of prayer! It goes to the heart, and demands that love be enthroned there, love to the brotherhood. The sacrifice of prayer must be seasoned and perfumed with love, by love in the inward parts. The law of prayer, its creator and inspirer, is love.
Praying must be done. God wants it done. He commands it. Man needs it and man must do it. Something must surely come of praying, for God engages that something shall come out of it, if men are in earnest and are persevering in prayer.
After Jesus teaches “Ask and it shall be given you,” etc., He encourages real praying, and more praying. He repeats and avers with redoubled assurance, “For every one that asketh receiveth.” No exception. “Every one.” “He that seeketh, findeth.” Here it is again, sealed and stamped with infinite veracity. Then closed and signed, as well as sealed, with Divine attestation, “To him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Note how we are encouraged to pray by our relation to God!
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
The relation of prayer to God’s work and God’s rule in this world is most fully illustrated by Jesus Christ in both His teaching and His practice. He is first in every way and in everything. Among the rulers of the Church He is primary in a pre-eminent way. He has the throne. The golden crown is His in eminent preciousness. The white garments enrobe Him in pre-eminent whiteness and beauty. In the ministry of prayer He is a Divine example as well as the Divine Teacher. His example is affluent, and His prayer teaching abounds. How imperative the teaching of our Lord when He affirms that “men ought always to pray and not to faint!” and then presents a striking parable of an unjust judge and a poor widow to illustrate and enforce His teaching. It is a necessity to pray. It is exacting and binding for men always to be in prayer. Courage, endurance and perseverance are demanded that men may never faint in prayer. “And shall not God avenge his own elect that cry day and night unto him?”
This is His strong and indignant questioning and affirmation. Men must pray according to Christ’s teaching. They must not get tired nor grow weary in praying. God’s character is the assured surety that much will come of the persistent praying of true men.