Precept and Practice – DECEMBER 2 – Pray without Ceasing
Was it long ago, or was it but yesterday, that we prayed for strength to perform a certain duty, to bear a certain burden, to overcome a certain temptation, and received it? Do we dream that the divine force was exhausted in answering that one prayer?
No more than the great river is exhausted by turning the wheels of one mill. Put it to the proof again with to-day’s duty, to-day’s burden, to-day’s temptation. Thrust yourself farther and deeper into the stream of God’s power, and feel it again as you have felt it before, able to do exceeding abundantly.
Remember and trust.
(Henry van Dyke)
Pray always, child, nor ever faint or fail,
But let thy prayers ascend to God in Heaven.
Pray when the morning rises grey and pale,
And when descend the purple shades of even.
Pray without ceasing, God may make thee wait
And keep thee at His door on bended knee.
But fear not He will leave thee desolate,
He may bless others first, but will bless thee.
(Archbishop Trench)
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From the Introduction to Precept and Practice
The kindly welcome given to my other little books, ‘Being and Doing’ and ‘Character and Conduct,’ must be my excuse for adding another collection of extracts to the number now in circulation.
The quotations are gathered from the books of many earnest thinkers, and deal with Life in all its length and breadth, with ourselves, our characters, our plain unvarnished faults and weaknesses, our often untoward circumstances, and with all that drags us down;- with our purposes, our religion, our love and friendships, and with all that uplifts us;- with our relation to others, our influence and responsibilities, and finally with those stages of our journey which bring us to the Road’s Last Turn and to the Silent Land.
CONSTANCE M. WHISHAW
Suffolk Vicar 