Whispers of His Power – MAY 31

Rom. 12.12:  Continuing instant (to persevere toward) in prayer.

John 16.24:  Ask, and ye shall receive.

Why need there be a continuing in prayer?  Our Father needs no reminder.  I do not think that anywhere He explains this matter to us, but this thought of ‘persevering’ runs through the Old Testament, and the new Testament is full of it too.

Westcott’s note on John 16.24 is:  ‘Ask: the command implies a continuous prayer, and not a single petition.’  

It is like our Father to tell us to do what our human hearts urge us to do:  go on asking.  It is like that other word (James 5.13), ‘Is any merry? let him sing.’  The very frogs want to sing when they are merry, and so do we.

But the command to continue in prayer is not an easy thing.  It can mean conflict, wrestle, agony.  Forces are moving in the unseen about us, and prayer influences those movements.  In Exodus 17.11 we read that when Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed.  It is a law of the spiritual world, not explained, just stated.

Lord, help us to continue, to persevere in prayer.  Hold our hands steady until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17.12).

oooOOOooo

These words are from ’Whispers of His Power’ a collection of writings that Amy Carmichael wrote for her ‘children’ and others associated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. and are Copyright © The Dohnavur Fellowship 1982

Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

The following abbreviations are used to refer to other versions and sources:

BCP:               Book of Common Prayer, the Great Bible of Coverdale

Conybeare:       W. J. Conybeare, The Epistles of Paul (a translation)

Delitzsch:        F. Delitzsch, Notes on Job and the Psalms

Kay:                W. Kay, The Psalms (a translation)

LXX:              The Septuagint

Moffatt:           J. Moffatt, The New Testament: a new translation

Rotherham:      J. B. Rotherham, The Emphasized Bible Revised Version

RV:                 Revised Version

Way:              A. Way, The Letters of St Paul (a translation)

Westcott:         F. Westcott, Notes on the Gospel of St John

Weymouth:      R. F. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech

Young:            R. Young, A Literal Translation of the Bible

Verses of poetry without quotation marks were written by Amy Carmichael.