I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.–Ezekiel xxxvi. 37.
In pursuing his voyage to the shore of the new world the seaman steers southward. His object is to catch the trade wind. It blows so steadily from east to west, that having once caught it in his sails he has often nothing else to do. With his ship’s head set before that wind, he is borne steadily along beneath a brilliant sun, and gently wafted over a summer sea. His voyage is one extended, happy holiday. The thrilling cry of land comes at length from the out-look on the topmast, and he drops his anchor in some quiet bay of those lovely islands, where the waves wash coral strands, and the breezes that blow seaward from their spicy forests, come loaded with delicious perfumes.
It is not thus man reaches the shores of heaven. That landing may be a picture of his arrival–the voyage is not. In yonder vessel, which enters the harbor with masts sprung, sails in rags, bulwarks gone, bearing all the marks of having battled with many a storm and ridden many a crested wave, and on her deck a crew of weather-beaten and worn men, happy and glad to reach the land again – behold the plight in which the believer arrives at heaven. It is hard work to get there? No doubt of it. Paul, the man, in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often – Paul, the martyr, thrice beaten with rods, once stoned, thrice shipwrecked, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by his countrymen, by the heathen, in the city, in the wilderness, on the sea – Paul, the patient sufferer for Christ, of a life of weariness, and painfulness, and watchings, hunger, thirst, fasting, cold, nakedness – Paul even stood alarmed, lest he himself should be a castaway. “The righteous scarcely are saved.” The busiest in praying, watching, working, fighting, are no more than saved. O then, “if the righteous scarcely are saved, where shall the ungodly and the wicked appear?”
My text summons you to prayer. But does any man think, that, by repeating a daily prayer – learned long ago perhaps at his mother’s knee, reading some verses of Scripture, abstaining from grosser sins, attending church on Sabbath, and the Lord’s table on communion days, he is by this smooth and easy way to reach the kingdom, and receive its crown? What says our Lord, “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force;” it is the prize of men who are valiant in faith and strong in prayer – men like those who, at bugle’s sound or flare of rocket, rush from the trenches, and springing into the deadly breach – leaping into the very mouth of death – fight their way on and up till their flag of victory waves above the smoke of battle.
Or, take Paul’s figure of the energies and activities of the Christian life. Look at these two men, stripped to the skin, who stand face to face, confronting each other in the public arena. They have been in training for weeks and months. Strangers to the pleasures of ease and sweets of luxury, they have been on foot every day by the dawn. Abstaining from all indulgences which might enervate their frame, in hard bed, hard food, hard work, they have endured every trial which could develop their muscular powers, and add to their strength. And now these athletes are met to contend for the prize; foot touches foot, eyes watch eyes, and their spare but sinewy and iron forms are disrobed, that nothing may impede the lightning rapidity of the movements, or lessen the power of the stroke. The signal is given. Blows fall thick as hail; and now the candidates are rolling on the ground; now they emerge from a cloud of dust to continue the fight, till one – planting a tremendous stroke on the head of his antagonist – stands alone in the arena, and amid applauses that rend the sky and waken up the distant echoes, holds the field. At this moment Paul steps forward, and addressing Christians, says, So fight; so win. “They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.”
Woe to the man, in these old games, who allowed his competitor to catch him off his guard. Woe to the man who turned to look on father, mother, wife, or mistress. Woe to the man who lifted his eyes but for a moment from the glaring eyeball of his antagonist; that moment a ringing blow fells him to the earth – he bites the dust.
Not less does our safety depend on constant prayer and watchfulness. “Be instant in prayer.” “Pray without ceasing.” “Watch and pray.” Ah! you will never have to offer Satan an advantage twice. Should he catch you asleep, as David caught Saul–when he put aside the spear of Abishai that gleamed in the moonlight above the unconscious sleeper, and whispered, “Destroy him not” – Satan will not be satisfied with carrying off spear and water-cruse, or skirt of robe; he will not be content to prove how he had generously left you your peace and piety. Constant prayer, unceasing watchfulness, are what your interests imperatively demand. These the Christian life requires, and these the crown of redemption rewards. Observe how in my text God hangs all the blessing of salvation upon prayer. He says, as it were, I have had pity upon sinners; I have provided pardon for the guilty. Justification through the righteousness, and life through the death of my Son; I have promised to take away the heart of stone and replace it with one of flesh; I have promised my Spirit to sanctify, sufficient grace, a certain heaven – all these blood-bought, gracious, happy, holy blessings shall be yours, freely yours; yet not yours, unless they are sought in prayer. “I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them.”
(Guthrie, Thomas. The Gospel in Ezekiel – Illustrated in a Series of Discourses. New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1861.)
Some Gems from the Pen of Inspiration –
Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. No other means of grace can be substituted, and the health of the soul be preserved. Prayer brings the heart into immediate contact with the Wellspring of life, and strengthens the sinew and muscle of the religious experience. Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage in prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God. The spiritual faculties lose their vitality, the religious experience lacks health and vigor. (Gospel Workers, p. 254)
Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. (Steps to Christ, p. 93)
What kind of prayer?
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16
In this verse, the basic Greek word that has been translated into English (in the KJV) as “effectual fervent” is energeo which gives us our word “energy” or “energized.” This type of prayer is not just rattling off a few words in a hurry, tossing a note on God’s desk with a list of my thoughts and needs for the day and then running on down the hall, or e-mailing a form letter to Him. This verse is describing a type of communication with God that is energized and made earnest and fervent by a strong desire, a hunger, for personal contact with Him. There is a great need in our fast-paced world to “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6) not just for a convenient snack of religion or entertainment to help us forget our hunger. Those who truly hunger and thirst for what God offers are promised a full, satisfying meal – “they shall be filled.” Does your spiritual hunger motivate you to really take time for God and energize your prayer life so that it “availeth much?”