August 25

"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." Psalms 65:2.

WE have no claims upon God, and are not worthy of the least of all his mercies. It is therefore surprising that he should hear prayer at all. But he glories in it, and by nothing is he so much distinguished. He derives his fame, his character from it. "O thou that hearest prayer."

And we need not wonder at this, when we consider how constantly he has heard prayer, even ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord; and how many prayers he has heard. If we are to pray without ceasing, the prayers of one individual would be very numerous. What then is the aggregate multitude that has been offered by all the millions that ever sought his face? And how largely he answers prayer. He gives grace and glory, and withholds no good thing pertaining to life and godliness. And how readily he answers prayer. "Before they call," says he, "I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." And how certainly he hears prayer. We have his promises, which are firmer than the earth and the heavens. It may not be easy to ascertain when or how he answers us as the God of our salvation; but this we know, that he cannot deny us without denying himself. He cannot lie; and he has said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."