My New Year’s Resolution: Continue in Prayer
As December was drawing to a close, I felt more and more impressed that I need to devote the New Year to sincere, fervent, and continued prayer. So when my friend shared with me the following passage from Charles Spurgeon on prayer, I took it as confirmation that my thinking was correct.
Spurgeon has always had a special place in my heart. Back when my husband and I were dating, we spent many an evening reading and discussing Spurgeon’s sermons. In fact, the very first Christmas gift Doug ever gave me was a 10-volume set of this famous preacher’s published works.
As with so many topics he addressed, Spurgeon’s thoughts on prayer are spot on. I’ve taken the liberty of reprinting the entire passage my friend sent me below. Read and see whether you find it as convicting as I do.
Spurgeon writes:
It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, ‘Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;’ and just as we are about to close the volume, the ‘Amen’ of an earnest supplication meets our ear.
Instances are plentiful. Here we find a wrestling Jacob — there a Daniel who prayed three times a day — and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas.
We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises. What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in His Word, He intended to be conspicuous in our lives.
If He has said much about prayer, it is because He knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray.
Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord’s mercy show Thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul.
Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian.
If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father’s love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of His love.
Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of the Master. The motto for this year must be, ‘Continue in prayer.’
Continue in prayer
Isn’t that a great New Year’s resolution? God has given us free access to His throne room and bids us come and cast our burdens at His feet. Won’t you join me in doing that this year?
Let’s commit to continue in prayer. (Colossians 4:2) And as we pray, let us pray expectantly, for “this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
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