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THE KNEELING CHRISTIAN
by Unknown Christian

We dare not say that our Lord’s words are not true. Yet somehow or other few Christians really seem to believe them. What holds us back? What seals our lips? What keeps us from making much of prayer? Do we doubt His love? Never! He gave His life for us and to us. Do we doubt the Father’s love? Nay. “The Father Himself loveth you,” said Christ when urging His disciples to pray.

Do we doubt His power? Not for a moment. Hath He not said, “All power hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth. Go ye . . . and lo, I am with you alway . . .”? (Matt. xxviii. 18-20). Do we doubt His wisdom? Do we mistrust His choice for us? Not for a moment. And yet so very few of His followers consider prayer really worth while. Of course, they would deny this — but actions speak louder than words. Are we afraid to put God to the test? He has said we may do so. “Bring Me the whole tithe into the storehouse . . . and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. iii. 10). Whenever God makes us a promise, let us boldly say, as did St. Paul, I believe God (Acts xxvii. 25), and trust Him to keep His word.

Shall we begin today to be men of prayer, if we have never done so before? Let us not put it off till a more convenient season. God wants me to pray. The dear Savior wants me to pray. He needs my prayers. So much — in fact, everything — depends upon prayer. How dare we hold back? Let every one of us ask on our knees this question: “If no one on earth prayed for the salvation of sinners more fervently or more frequently than I do, how many of them would be converted to God through prayer?”

Do we spend ten minutes a day in prayer? Do we consider it important enough for that? Ten minutes a day on our knees in prayer — when the Kingdom of Heaven can be had for the asking!

Ten minutes? It seems a very inadequate portion of our time to spend in taking hold of God (Isa. lxiv. 7)!

And is it prayer when we do “say” our prayers, or are we just repeating daily a few phrases which have become practically meaningless, whilst our thoughts are wandering hither and thither? If God were to answer the words we repeated on our knees this morning should we know it? Should we recognize the answer? Do we even remember what we asked for? He does answer. He has given us His word for it. He always answers every real prayer of faith.

But we shall see what the Bible has to say on this point in a later chapter. We are now thinking of the amount of time we spend in prayer.

“How often do you pray?” was the question put to a Christian woman. “Three times a day, and all the day beside,” was the quick reply. But how many are there like that? Is prayer to me just a duty, or is it a privilege — a pleasure — a real joy — a necessity?

Let us get a fresh vision of Christ in all His glory, and a fresh glimpse of all the “riches of His glory” which He places at our disposal, and of all the mighty power given unto Him. Then let us get a fresh vision of the world and all its needs. (And the world was never so needy as it is today.) Why, the wonder is not that we pray so little, but that we can ever get up from our knees if we realize our own need; the needs of our home and our loved ones; the needs of our pastor and the Church; the needs of our city — of our country — of the heathen and Mohammedan world! All these needs, can be met by the riches of God in Christ Jesus. St. Paul had no doubt about this — nor have we. Yes! “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory, in Christ Jesus” (Phil. iv. 19). But to share His riches we must pray, for the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon Him (Rom. x. 12).

So great is the importance of prayer that God has taken care to anticipate all the excuses or objections we may be likely to make.

Men plead their weakness or infirmity — or they declare they do not know how to pray.

God foresaw this inability long ages ago. Did He not inspire St. Paul to say: “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity, for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. viii. 26, 27).

Yes. Every provision is made for us. But only the Holy Spirit can “stir us up” to “take hold of God.” And if we will but yield ourselves to the Spirit’s promptings we shall most assuredly follow the example of the apostles of old, who “gave themselves to prayer,” and “continued steadfastly in prayer” (R.V., Acts vi. 4).

We may rest fully assured of this — a man’s influence in the world can be gauged not by his eloquence, or his zeal, or his orthodox, or his energy, but by his prayers. Yes, and we will go farther and maintain that no man can live aright who does not pray aright.

We may work for Christ from morn till night; we may spend much time in Bible study; we may be most earnest and faithful and “acceptable” in our preaching and in our individual dealing, but none of these things can be truly effective unless we are much in prayer. We shall only be full of good works; and not “bearing fruit in every good work” (Col. i. 10). To be little with God in prayer is to be little for God in service. Much secret prayer means much public power. Yet is it not a fact that whilst our organizing is well nigh perfect, our agonizing in prayer is well nigh lost?

Men are wondering why the Revival delays its coming. There is only one thing that can delay it, and that is lack of prayer. All Revivals have been the outcome of prayer. One sometimes longs for the voice of an archangel, but what would that avail if the voice of Christ Himself does not stir us up to pray? It seems almost impertinence for any man to take up the cry when our Savior has put forth His “limitless” promises. Yet we feel that something should be done, and we believe that the Holy Spirit is prompting men to remind themselves and others of Christ’s words and power. No words of mine can impress men with the value of prayer, the need of prayer, and the omnipotence of prayer.

But these utterances go forth steeped in prayer that God the Holy Spirit will Himself convict Christian men and women of the sin of prayerlessness, and drive them to their knees, to call upon God day and night in burning, believing, prevailing intercession! The Lord Jesus, now in the heavenlies, beckons to us to fall upon our knees and claim the riches of His grace.

No man dare prescribe for another how long a time he ought to spend in prayer, nor do we suggest that men should make a vow to pray so many minutes or hours a day. Of course, the Bible command is to “Pray without ceasing.” This is evidently the “attitude of prayer” — the attitude of one’s life. Here we are speaking of definite acts of prayer. Have you ever timed your prayers? We believe that most of our readers would be amazed and confounded if they did time themselves!

Some years ago the writer faced this prayer question. He felt that for himself at least one hour a day was the minimum time that he should spend in prayer. He carefully noted down every day a record of his prayer-life. As time went on he met a working-man who was being much used of God.

When asked to what he chiefly attributed his success, this man quietly replied, “Well, I could not get on without two hours a day of private prayer.”

Then there came across my path a Spirit-filled missionary from overseas, who told very humbly of the wonderful things God was doing through his ministry. (One could see all along that God was given all the praise and all the glory.) “I find it necessary, oftentimes, to spend four hours a day in prayer,” said this missionary.

And we remember how the Greatest Missionary of all used sometimes to spend whole nights in prayer. Why? Our blessed Lord did not pray simply as an example to us: He never did things merely as an example. He prayed because He needed to pray. As perfect Man, prayer to Him was a necessity. Then how much more is it necessary to you and me?

“Four hours a day in prayer!” exclaimed a man who is giving his whole life to Christian work as a medical missionary. “Four hours? Give me ten minutes and I’m done!” That was an honest and a brave confession — even if a sad one. Yet, if some of us were to speak out as honestly —? Now, it was not by accident that these men crossed my path. God was speaking through them. It was just another “call to prayer” from the “God of patience,” who is also a “God of comfort” (Rom. xv. 5). and when their quiet message had sunk into my soul a book came into my hands, “by chance,” as people say. It told briefly and simply the story of John Hyde — “Praying Hyde,” as he came to be called. Just as God sent St. John the Baptist to prepare the way of our Lord at His first coming, so He sent in these last days St. John the Pray-er, to make straight paths for His coming again. “Praying Hyde” — what a name! As one read of this marvelous life of prayer, one began to ask, “Have I ever prayed?”

I found others were asking the same question. One lady, who is noted for her wonderful intercession, wrote me, saying, “When I laid down this book, I began to think I bad never in all my life really prayed!”

But here we must leave the matter. Shall we get on our knees before God and allow His Holy Spirit to search us through and through? Are we sincere? Do we really desire to do God’s will? Do we really believe His promises? If so, will it not lead us to spend more time on our knees before God? Do not vow to pray “so much” a day. Resolve to pray much, but prayer, to be of value, must be spontaneous, and not from constraint.

But we must bear in mind that mere resolutions to take more time for prayer, and to conquer reluctance to pray, will not prove lastingly effective unless there is a wholehearted and absolute surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have never taken this step, we must take it now if we desire to be men of prayer.

I am quite certain of this fact: God wants me to pray: wants you to pray. The question is, are we willing to pray?

Gracious Savior, pour out upon us the fullness of the Holy Spirit, that we may indeed become Kneeling Christians.

To God your every want
In instant prayer display.
Pray always; pray and never faint:
Pray! Without ceasing, pray.

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