June 15

I would order my cause before him. - Job 23:4.

THIS shows us, First, That the worship of God is a “reasonable service.” This “order” does not so much regard words as things; everything should be “done decently and in order,” says the Apostle. A Christian in private devotion, before he bows before the Lord, should say to himself, What do I now most need? In what relation do I stand before God? What is my present condition? What is my office? What duties and dangers are lying before me in the course of the day, requiring his assistance?” Were we always to do this for a few moments, we should then be much less embarrassed than we often are in prayer, and be furnished with more materials.

Secondly, Another part of the order of which Job speaks, which Solomon mentions, and which we should never forget, is to remember that “God is in heaven and we upon earth, and therefore let our words be few.” We must never imagine that we are heard for “our much speaking,” and using “vain repetitions, as the heathens do.”

Thirdly, There is another part of this order in prayer which our Saviour teaches us when he says, “Seek ye, first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Nature may speak in prayer, but grace must speak first. Our Lord teaches us this in his own blessed model prayer. He teaches us to say, “Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” before he allows us to ask for “our daily bread.”

And we must never pray for other things as we pray for Spiritual blessings. We cannot be too importunate with regard to the one, and we cannot be too calm and resigned, referring ourselves entirely to his wisdom and goodness, with regard to the other. Whenever we go to God, however numerous and heavy may be the burdens we feel, there are no burdens so heavy and distressing as the burden of our sins; and anxious as we may be in sickness for the recovery of our health, this is not to be compared with the earnestness with which we should inquire after the “balm in Gilead” and the “Physician there,” in regard to our soul’s health.