Morning, May 24, edited from Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening

“Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer.” — Psalm 66:20

In looking back upon the character of our prayers—if we do it honestly—we shall be filled with wonder that God has ever answered them. There may be some who think their prayers worthy of acceptance—as the Pharisee did—but the true Christian, in a more enlightened retrospect, weeps over his prayers, and if he could retrace his steps he would desire to pray more earnestly. Remember, Christian, how cold your prayers have been. When in your prayer closet you should have wrestled as Jacob did; but instead, your appeals there have been faint and few—far removed from that humble, believing, persevering faith, which cries, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Yet, wonderful to say, God has heard these cold prayers of yours, and not only heard, but answered them. Reflect also on how infrequent your prayers have been, unless you have been in trouble, and then you have gone often to the mercy-seat: but when deliverance has come, where has your constant supplication been? Yet, even though you have ceased to pray as you once did, God has not ceased to bless. When you have neglected the mercy-seat, God has not deserted it, but the bright light of the Shekinah has always been visible between the wings of the cherubim. Oh! It is marvelous that the Lord should regard those intermittent spasms of fervency in prayer which come and go with our necessities. What a God he is, therefore, to hear the prayers of those who come to him when they have pressing needs, but neglect him when they have received mercy; who approach him when they are forced to come, but who almost forget to address him when blessings are plentiful and sorrows are few. Let his gracious kindness in hearing such prayers touch our hearts, so that we may from this day forward be found “with all prayer and petition praying at all times in the Spirit.”