"Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens".; Lam 3:41

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which

is a very salutary lesson for such proud beings as we

are. If God gave us favours without constraining us to

pray for them we should never know how poor we are,

but a true prayer is an inventory of wants, a catalogue

of necessities, a revelation of hidden poverty. While it

is an application to divine wealth, it is a confession of

human emptiness. The most healthy state of a

Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly

depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always

poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water

personally, but mighty through God to do great

exploits; and hence the use of prayer, because, while

it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be,

in the very dust. Prayer is in itself, apart from the

answer which 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 acquire

energy by the hallowed labour of prayer. Prayer

plumes 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 forth to

combat with their sinews braced and their muscles

firm. An earnest pleader cometh out of his closet,

even as the sun ariseth 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 than the sword of Joshua; it is the

arrow shot from the chamber of the prophet

foreboding defeat to the Syrians. Prayer girds human

weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into

heavenly wisdom, and gives to troubled mortals the

peace of God. We know not what prayer cannot do!

We thank thee, great God, for the mercy-seat, a choice

proof of thy marvellous lovingkindness. Help us to

use it aright throughout this day!

From Spurgeon's Morning & Evening