2/6 Spurgeon Today

“Praying always.” — Ephesians 6:18

What multitudes of prayers we have put up from the first moment when
we learned to pray. Our first prayer was a prayer for ourselves; we asked
that God would have mercy upon us, and blot out our sin. He heard us.
But when He had blotted out our sins like a cloud, then we had more
prayers for ourselves. We have had to pray for sanctifying grace, for
constraining and restraining grace; we have been led to crave for a fresh
assurance of faith, for the comfortable application of the promise, for
deliverance in the hour of temptation, for help in the time of duty, and for
succour in the day of trial. We have been compelled to go to God for our
souls, as constant beggars asking for everything. Bear witness, children of
God, you have never been able to get anything for your souls elsewhere.
All the bread your soul has eaten has come down from heaven, and all the
water of which it has drank has flowed from the living rock — Christ Jesus
the Lord. Your soul has never grown rich in itself; it has always been a
pensioner upon the daily bounty of God; and hence your prayers have
ascended to heaven for a range of spiritual mercies all but infinite. Your
wants were innumerable, and therefore the supplies have been infinitely
great, and your prayers have been as varied as the mercies have been
countless. Then have you not cause to say, “I love the Lord, because He
hath heard the voice of my supplication”? For as your prayers have been
many, so also have been God’s answers to them. He has heard you in the
day of trouble, has strengthened you, and helped you, even when you
dishonoured Him by trembling and doubting at the mercy-seat. Remember
this, and let it fill your heart with gratitude to God, who has thus
graciously heard your poor weak prayers. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
forget not all His benefits.”