Evening, November 3, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“Their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.” — 2 Chronicles 30:27

Prayer is the unfailing resort of the Christian in any case, in every plight. When you cannot use your sword you may take to the weapon of prayer. Your gunpowder may be damp, your bow-string may be slack, but the weapon of prayer need never be out of order. Leviathan laughs at the javelin, but he trembles at prayer. Sword and spear need polishing and sharpening, but prayer never rusts, and when we think it most blunt it cuts the best. Prayer is an open door which none can shut. Demons 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, battering ram, mine, or storm, so long as heavenly assistance 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 results are precious. Prayer gains audience with heaven in the dead of night, in the midst of business, in the heat of noonday, in the shade 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 forever, 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 you ask for a simple meal, will you be angry because He gives you the finest banquet? If you seek bodily health, should you complain if instead He makes your sickness turn you to the healing of spiritual maladies? Is it not better to have the cross you bear sanctified than removed? This evening, my soul, do not forget to offer your petition and request, for the Lord is ready to grant you your desires.