Evening, November 3
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“Their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.”
2 Chronicles 30:27
Prayer is the never-failing resort of the Christian in any case, in
every plight. When you cannot use your sword you may take to the weapon
of all-prayer. Your powder may be damp, your bow-string may be relaxed,
but the weapon of all-prayer need never be out of order. Leviathan
laughs at the javelin, but he trembles at prayer. Sword and spear
need furbishing, but prayer never rusts, and when we think it most
blunt it cuts the best. Prayer is an open door which none can shut.
Devils may surround you on all sides, but the way upward is always
open, and as long as that road is unobstructed, you will not fall
into the enemy's hand. We can never be taken by blockade, escalade,
mine, or storm, so long as heavenly succours can come down to us by
Jacob's ladder to relieve us in the time of our necessities. Prayer
is never out of season: in summer and in winter its merchandise is
precious. Prayer gains audience with heaven in the dead of night,
in the midst of business, in the heat of noonday, in the shades of
evening. In every condition, whether of poverty, or sickness, or obscurity,
or slander, or doubt, your covenant God will welcome your prayer and
answer it from His holy place. Nor is prayer ever futile . True prayer is evermore true power. You may not always get what
you ask, but you shall always have your real wants supplied. When
God does not answer His children according to the letter, He does
so according to the spirit. If thou askest for coarse meal, wilt thou
be angered because He gives thee the finest flour? If thou seekest
bodily health, shouldst thou complain if instead thereof He makes
thy sickness turn to the healing of spiritual maladies? Is it not
better to have the cross sanctified than removed? This evening, my
soul, forget not to offer thy petition and request, for the Lord is
ready to grant thee thy desires.