We need continual quickening to maintain our steadfastness in the precepts.

Posted : 31 May, 2013 02:17 AM

Psalm 119:88 Quicken me after Your loving-kindness: so shall I keep the testimony of Your mouth.





We need continual quickening to maintain our steadfastness

in the precepts. "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love

with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has

quickened us, together with Christ." But without daily

quickening after the same loving-kindness, "the things which

remain will be ready to die." For every breath of prayer, Divine

influence must flow-"Quicken us, and we shall call upon Your

name." For the work of praise, without the same influence we

are dumb.-"Let my soul live, and it shall praise You." For the

exercise of every spiritual grace, there must be the

commanding voice of our Divine Head-"Awake, O north wind;

and come, you south: blow upon my garden, that the spices

thereof may flow out." Thus is the creature laid in the dust,

and all the glory is given to God. "Not that we are sufficient of

ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency

is of God."

Why is it, then, that at one time we spring to duty as the joy of

our life; while at other times the soul is so chained down under

the power of corruption, that it scarcely can put forth the

feeblest exercise of life? The source of our life is the same;-

"Hid with Christ in God." But the power of the flesh hinders its

every motion. Such a spiritual sloth has benumbed us-such backwardness to prayer, and disrelish for heavenly things!

These are sins deeply humbling in themselves, and

aggravated by the neglect of the plentiful provision laid up in

Christ, not only for the life, but for the peace, joy, and strength

of the soul. Nothing but indolence or unbelief straitens our

supplies. Oh! stir up the prayer for quickening influence, and

we shall be rich and fruitful. Sometimes also self-confidence

paralyzes our spiritual energy. We expect our recovery from a

lifeless state by more determined resolutions, or increased

improvement of the various means of grace. Let these means

indeed be used with all diligence, but with the fullest

conviction that all means, all instruments, all helps of every

kind, without the influence of the Spirit of grace, are dead. "It

is the Spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing."

These records of David's prayers strikingly mark the intensity

of his desire to live to God. Every decay of strength and

activity was, as it were, death to him, and awakened his

reiterated cries. Do we desire to keep the testimony of His

mouth? Do we mourn over our shortcomings in service? Oh!

then, for our own sake, for the Lord's sake, and for the

church's and the world's sake, let our petitions be incessant

each one for himself-'Quicken me-Quicken this slothful heart

of mine. Enkindle afresh the sacred spark within, and let me

be all alive for You.' Let faith be kept alive and active at the

throne of grace, and all will be alive; our obligation will be

deeply felt, and practically acknowledged.

The title here given to the directory of our duty-the testimony

of God's mouth-adds strength to our obligations. Thus let

every word we read or hear be regarded as coming directly

from the mouth of God. What reverence, what implicit

submission does it demand! May it ever find us in the posture

of attention, humility, and faith, each one of us ready to say-

"Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears!"



by

Charles Bridges

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