THE KING’ S BUSINESS
606
us everything according to OUR will as we are to the God who does give us every thing according ot HIS will.—McConkey. Heaven is never deaf but when man’s heart is dumb.—Quarles. Prayer' is not conquer ing God’s reluctance but laying hold o f His willingness.—Philips Brooks. Good prayers never come creeping home. I receive either what I ask or what I should ask.—Hall.
from God. W e should act with as much energy as those who expect everything from ourselves.—Colton. Our ability to stay with God in the prayer closet is the measure' of our ability to stay with Him when we are out o f it.—Bounds. v. 10. Everyone who asks receives. Christ does not say everyone that asks will receive the very thing he asks for. W e ought to be as grateful to the God who does not give S UPPOSE you had a request to make o f Pfesident Wilson. Could you see . him whenever you chose? No, you would first have to see his secretary and others and tell them your errand. They will deny your seeing the President unless your errand is o f supreme importance, and then only for a brief moment and at his con venience. Recently a Los Angelean was invited to a reception at the White House. He journeyed across the continent to spend only a couple o f hours in the President’s company. Contrast our having an audience with the King of Kings and Sovereign of the universe. Prayer is talking with God and listening when He talks to us. Prayer is being friends with God and talking things over with Him. Perhaps you have seen a lit tle child climb upon Father or Mother’s knee at the close o f the day. As she lov ingly caresses her father she chats on about the day, her dolls, her playmates. She tells how she has been good and also when she has been naughty. She has many requests to make. The father lovingly talks with her, teaching and advising. 'Some of us never wait for God to talk back. Prayer to God is adoration, thanksgiving, confes sion, petition, and meditation or waiting for God. Why pray? God asks.us to. Prayer is the trolley by which the power house of heaven is connected with earth. The street car stands still unless the trolley connects it with the power house. The Christian is just as helpless apart from God. God
“ MY GIRLS”
By Mrs. H. J. Baldwin.
knows this better than we do. So He bids us pray. W e never need pray to inform God or to coax or persuade Him. He knows our need before we ask (Matt. 6 : 8 ), and is anxious to give us all things that are good for us (Matt. 7:11). But like a father He loves to have His children come to Him and lift up our cups to Him for Him to fill. Who may pray? All may. But the girl who isn’t a Christian has no right to ask for anything but forgiveness (Luke 18:13) and that God will receive her as His child. When the disciples asked Christ to teach them to pray Christ’s first words were “ Our Father.” Only those have a right to address God as Father who are His children. Some false religions claim that all are the chil dren of God. But Christ distinctly said that many were children o f the devil (John 8 : 44 ). That we are not by nature children o f God, but that we become children o f God by receiving Jesus Christ (John 1:12). See lesson for July 7th. For What shall we pray? For everything that we desire. In this example prayer which Christ gave to His disciples He taught us to first thank God for all His goodness and mercy to us. That includes our health, homes, opportunities, and all temporal blessing as well as His greatest goodness in giving us Jesus Christ, and all that we enjoy'because of Him. Next we are to pray for God’s work everywhere. “ Thy Kingdom come.” For missionaries and all who are passing on to others the good news o f Jesus Christ. Some pray as
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs