secret of his perseverance. By faith in the promise of God, we know that we have the petitions we have asked of Him. Faith takes and holds the answer in the promise as an unseen spiritual possession, rejoices in it and praises for it. But there is a difference between the faith that thus holds the Word and knows that it has the answer and the clearer, fuller, riper faith that ob tains the promise as a present ex perience. It is in persevering, not unbelieving, hut confident and praising prayer that the soul grows up into that full union with its Lord in which it can enter upon the possession of the blessing in Him. There may be in these around us, there may be in that great system of being of which we are part, there may be in God’s government, things that have to be put right through our prayer ere the answer can fully come: the faith that has, according to the command, believed that it has received can allow God to take His time; it knows it has prevailed and must prevail. In quiet, persist ent and determined perseverance it continues in prayer and thanks giving until the blessing comes. And so we see combined what at first sight appears so contradictory; the faith that rejoices in the an swer of the unseen God as a present possession, with the patience that cries day and night until it be revealed. The speedily of God’s long-suffering is met by the tri umphant but patient faith of His waiting child. Our great danger in this school of the answer delayed is the tempta tion of thinking that, after all, it may not be God’s will to give us what we ask. If our prayer be according to God’s Word and under the leading of the Spirit, let us not give way to these fears. Let us learn to give God time. God needs time with us. If we only give Him time, that is, time in the daily fellowship with Himself for Him to exercise the full influence of His presence on us, and time, day by day in the course of our being kept waiting, for faith to prove its reality and to fill our whole being, He Himself will lead us from faith to vision; we shall see the glory of God. Let no delay shake our faith. Of faith it holds good: first the blade,
then the ear, then the full com in the ear. Each believing prayer brings a step nearer the final vic tory. Each believing prayer helps to ripen the fruit and bring us nearer to it; it fills up the measure of prayer and faith known to God alone; it conquers the hindrances in the unseen world; it hastens the end. Child of God, give the Father time. He is long-suffering over you. He wants the blessing to be rich and full and sure; give Him time while you cry day and night. Only remember the words: “I tell you, he will avenge them speedily.” The blessing of such persevering prayer is unspeakable. There is nothing so heart-searching as the prayer of faith. It teaches you to discover and confess and give up everything that hinders the coming of the blessing; everything there may be not in accordance with the Father’s will. It leads to closer fel lowship with Him who alone can teach to pray, to a more entire surrender to draw nigh under no covering but that of the blood and the Spirit. It calls to a closer and more simple abiding in Christ alone. Christian, give God time. He will perfect that which concemeth you. “Long-suffering — speedily,” this is God’s watchword as you enter the gates of prayer: be it yours too. Let it be thus whether you pray for yourself or for others. All labor, bodily and mental, needs time and effort: we must give up ourselves to it. Nature discovers her secrets and yields her treasures only to dili gent and thoughtful labor. However little we can understand it, in the spiritual husbandry it is the same: the seed we sow in the soil of heav en, the efforts we put forth and the influence we seek to exert in the world above, need our whole being: we must give ourselves to prayer. But let us hold fast the great confidence that in due season we shall reap if we faint not. And let us specially learn the lesson as we pray for the Church of Christ. She is indeed as the poor widow in the absence of her Lord, apparently at the mercy of her adversary, h e l p l e s s t o obtain redress. Let us, when -we pray for His Church or any portion of it under the power of the world, ask
ing Him to v i s i t h e r with the mighty workings of His Spirit and to prepare her for His coming, let us pray in the assured faith: prayer does help, praying always and not fainting will bring the answer. Only give God time. And then keep crying day and night. “Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. . . .” L e d , TeacSi Us fro Pray O Lord my God, teach me now to know Thy way and in faith to apprehend what Thy beloved Son has taught: “he will avenge them speedily.” Let Thy tender love and the delight Thou hast in hearing and blessing Thy children, lead me implicitly to accept Thy promise that we receive what we believe, that we have the petitions we ask and that the answer will in due time be seen. Lord, we understand the seasons in nature and know to wait with patience for the fruit we long for — 0 fill us with the assur ance that not one moment longer than is needed wilt Thou delay and that faith will hasten the answer. Blessed Master, Thou hast said that it is a sign of God’s elect that they cry day and night. 0 teach us to understand this. Thou knowest how speedily we grow faint and weary. It is as if the Divine majesty is so much beyond the need or the reach of continued supplication that it does not become us to be too importunate. 0 Lord, do teach me how real the labor of prayer is. I know how here on earth when I have failed in an undertaking, I can often succeed by renewed and more continuing effort, by giving more time, and thought: show me how, by giving myself more entire ly to prayer, to live in prayer, I shall obtain what I ask. And above all, 0 my blessed Teacher, author and perfecter of faith, let by Thy grace my whole life be one of faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me, in whom my prayer gains acceptance, in whom I have the assurance of the answer. Lord Jesus, in this faith I will pray always and not faint. Amen. END.
FEBRUARY 1957
15
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