| The Golden Gate of Prayer |
Chapter 4 |
Page 6 |
Nothing that this world can give us is really good unless it come to us out of our Father’s hands, the choice of his wisdom for us, with the benediction of his favor upon it. Though all of earth’s joys and possessions be taken from us, leaving us bare of comfort, bereft of human love, broken and suffering, if God has been honored in that we have passed through and in all that has come to us, we are rich with an enriching that shall never lose its luster or its preciousness.
We should learn well this lesson, therefore, that the very first thing in praying always should be the pleading that God’s name may be honored though the thing we seek be not given; that it be not given unless its bestowal would glorify God. When we have learned to pray in this spirit, we shall find ourself exalted into fellowship with Christ himself. It was thus he prayed in the temple that day, in what seems to have been a preliminary Gethsemane agony: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.” If we learn to pray thus, our prayers will always be acceptable to God and our life shall show forth his praise.
“Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord.
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is his word.
Once his gifts I wanted,
Now himself alone.
Once I sought for healing,
Now the Healer own.”
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