““Words are but the body, the garment, the outside of
prayer; sighs are nearer the heart work.”
What about when we are not answered in our prayers? This is perhaps the most difficult aspect of
prayer to deal with. Why does prayer
seem to be unanswered? How do we know
when we are answered? In respect to the
first question, Rutherford responds that the delay in answers to prayer have a
merciful and beneficial aspect to it. “Christ
often heareth when He doth not answer; His not answering is an answer, and
speaks thus, Pray on, go on, and cry; for the Lord holdeth His door fast
bolted, not to keep out, but that you may knock and knock. Patience to wait for the answer is itself an
answer. Prayer is to God, worship; to
us, often, it is but a servant upon mere necessity sent on a business.” Even prayers that would seem to be lost and
wasted are not so at all; they are both heard and answered.
“I may pray for victory to God’s people in a battle; they
love, yet I am heard and answered because I prayed for that victory not under
the notion of victory, but as linked with mercy to the church and the honor of
Christ. The formal object of my prayers
was a spiritual mercy to the church and the honor of Jesus Christ. The Lord hath shown mercy to His people by humbling
them and glorifies His Son in preserving a fallen people. He hears what is spiritual and not the
errors.”
“We are heard when we ask in faith according to God’s
will. How shall we know we are
answered? Hannah knew because of peace
after prayer. Paul knew because of
receiving new supply to bear the want of what he sought in prayer. Liberty and boldness of faith are other
indications…”
--taken from The King
in His Beauty, excerpts and biography of Samuel Rutherford edited by
Matthew Vogan
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