June 18

I will hear what God the Lord will speak. - Psalms 85:8.

IN general a Christian wishes to know the Divine pleasure concerning him. Hence the prayer of Saul of Tarsus when he was converted, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” and the resolution of the Psalmist here is to the same intent, “I will hear what God the Lord will speak,” in his providence, in his word, concerning me. How do I appear in his eyes? “It is a light thing to be judged of man’s judgment; he that judgeth me is the Lord.” What does he think of me? What does he say concerning me? As Job says, “I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.” Not only in reference to the path of providence and duty, but also in answer to prayer.

A good man will not be satisfied with the mere performance of the duty, but will look after the result of it. He is unwilling to depart without a reply, and is anxious to know whether the answer will be repulsive or favourable. How little importance do many attach to prayer, and how regardless they are of God’s answer to it! What should we think of a husbandman who, after having sown the seed, would never walk forth to look after it; to see “first the blade; then the ear; then the full corn in the ear;” should we not deem this indifference culpable? Or what should we think of a person who, if he knocked at our door, would not wait or even look back to see if the door were opened? Should we not consider this a mere insult? And is it not thus with regard to many of our prayers? Do we not in effect mock God when we call his attention to our wants and miseries, when at the same time we do not regard his voice or his influences?

Moses said, “The Lord heard me at that time also;” and it shows us how he remarked, in looking back upon his history, places and seasons where God heard his supplication. And if we also observe these things, we shall not fail to discover that this is the way to have our gratitude excited and our confidence strengthened. Let us, therefore, ascertain how God has answered us in such and such instances, and what he is now saying in answer to our requests; and then we shall also say with the Psalmist, “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications; because he hath inclined his ear unto me: therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.”