Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. In his letter to the Corinthians,
Paul wrote, for we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, and house
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we
groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house,
which is from heaven. If so be that being clothed,
we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle
do groan, being burdened. Not for that we would be unclothed,
but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Now he that hath wrought for us the selfsame thing is God,
who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Here he
is specifically describing the desire of the sons of God to
be done with the struggles with sin which are a result of our
present state of abiding in this mortal body. He is referring
to the hope of the resurrection which they have been given in
Christ and the expectation that they have of putting on the immortality
to which they have been appointed. Those who are born again are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. It is
to them that Paul writes this exhortation. Put on the whole
armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles
of the devil. These are the garments which the Lord hath specifically
fitted to each one of those who are called by his grace. And
he is the one who clothes them, so that they shall not be found
naked. Thus we find that they are both exhorted and prompted
to the activity of prayer. He is describing the method by
which he is pleased to keep and preserve those sons in whom he
has given this earnest. He goes on to say prayer is as
natural to the spiritual man as sin is to the flesh. It is
impossible to exhort men to pray, who have no inclination towards
it, just as it is to exhort men to put on the armor of God, who
have never been fitted for it. David could not go forth to battle
in Saul's armor, as fine as it was, nor might I add could Saul
have fit himself into David's armor, regardless of his effort.
Natural praying is that which arises out of the common religious
nature of men, which would move them to seek some help in situations
from which they find no easy solutions. As when a child is
sick, a storm is approaching, or the electric bill is due,
and there is no money in the bank. The commonality of natural
praying, which can be found in all men, is seen in those ten
lepers who lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us. Yet the reality and rarity of
true prayer is manifested in the fact that only one of them,
when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud
voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet,
giving him thanks. True praying is that which must
be prompted by the Spirit, and carried out in the sons of God
by his power and presence. That praying of which Paul speaks
is first and foremost an act of worship, recognizing the glory
which surrounds him to whom it is addressed. The Lord said,
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me. The Spirit bears witness to the
sons of God of the preeminence of Christ Jesus, in whom the
fullness of the Godhead dwells. That praying of which Paul speaks
is not a half-hearted attempt, nor something that the sons of
God are forced to do when all other efforts have failed. This
is no stopgap method. Rather, it is an assault on the
gates of heaven by those who are convinced that they have
no other help. Even as his disciples awoke him,
saying, Lord, save us, we perish, when the storm threatened their
destruction. This forms the very basis of
the supplication of which Paul speaks. It is a resolve born
into the very hearts of God's people which would move them
to confess with Peter, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life. Supplication is making a request.
Prayer is not specifically supplication, since one can simply worship
the Lord in praying, and praying can also be simply giving thanks
for our manifold blessings. However, true praying does sometimes
include supplication and is the result of faith in the one to
whom the sons of God pray unto. Paul says, Be careful for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God. The children of God
are not to fret and worry over the cares of this world, but
rather in a spirit of worship and thanks to bring their needs
unto the Lord. This is not because he does not
know our needs, but rather that the faith which he has given
to us might be exercised by prayer and supplication. But when you
pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think
that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye
therefore like unto them, for your father knoweth what things
ye have need of before ye ask him. Do you pray as the heathen
or by the Spirit? If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.