Thus Saith the Lord God
Prayer is the forerunner of mercy, and it makes our blessings more precious than diamonds.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that prayer is essential for receiving God's mercy, illustrating that significant blessings are often preceded by earnest supplication. He reflects on personal experiences where prayer has led to peace, joy, and deliverance, asserting that prayer serves as a prelude to blessings and enhances their value. Spurgeon likens prayer to a shadow that accompanies the light of God's mercies, suggesting that without the act of asking, we might take blessings for granted. He concludes that the earnest pursuit of prayer makes the mercies we receive more precious and meaningful.
Text
Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. Turn to sacred history, and you will find that scarcely ever did a great mercy come to this world unheralded by supplication. You have found this true in your own personal experience. God has given you many an unsolicited favour, but still great prayer has always been the prelude of great mercy with you. When you first found peace through the blood of the cross, you had been praying much, and earnestly interceding with God that He would remove your doubts, and deliver you from your distresses. Your assurance was the result of prayer. When at any time you have had high and rapturous joys, you have been obliged to look upon them as answers to your prayers.
When you have had great deliverances out of sore troubles, and mighty helps in great dangers, you have been able to say, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Prayer is always the preface to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing's shadow. When the sunlight of God's mercies rises upon our necessities, it casts the shadow of prayer far down upon the plain. Or, to use another illustration, when God piles up a hill of mercies, He Himself shines behind them, and He casts on our spirits the shadow of prayer, so that we may rest certain, if we are much in prayer, our pleadings are the shadows of mercy. Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it.
If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly.
"Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw; Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw; Gives exercise to faith and love; Brings every blessing from above."
Sermon Outline
- I. Prayer is the Forerunner of Mercy
- A. Sacred history shows that great mercies are preceded by prayer
- B. Personal experience confirms this truth
- II. Prayer is the Prelude to Assurance
- A. Assurance of peace through the blood of the cross is the result of prayer
- B. Prayer precedes great joys and deliverances
- III. Prayer Makes Blessings More Precious
- A. Prayer shows us the value of blessings
- B. We do not realize the preciousness of blessings until we have sought for them earnestly
Key Quotes
“Prayer makes the darken'd cloud withdraw;” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Gives exercise to faith and love; Brings every blessing from above.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Make prayer a priority in your life, and you will find that great mercies often follow.
- Prayer gives exercise to faith and love, so make sure to cultivate these virtues in your life.
- Remember that prayer makes our blessings more precious, so be sure to appreciate and thank God for His mercies.