Oh! let me be found a frequent suppliant at the throne of grace; bewailing my dullness, yet "stirring up" my faith "to lay hold on" my God

Posted : 23 Jul, 2013 02:21 AM

Psalm 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted; for I longed for Your commandments.





When the "wonderful" character of God's "testimonies" is

apprehended; and when their entrance has given light to the soul; something far beyond ordinary affection and desire is

excited. A thirsty man-burning with inward heat on a sultry

day, opening his mouth, and panting for some alleviation of

his thirst- is a fine image of the child of God intensely longing

for the attainment of his object. Or, if we suppose before us

the man nearly exhausted by the heat of his race, and

opening his mouth, and panting to take in fresh breath to

renew his course; so would the believer "rejoice," like the sun,

to "run his" heavenward "race." He cannot satisfy himself in

his desires. The motions of his soul to his God are his life and

his joy. It is a spring of perpetual motion beating within-

perpetual, because natural-not a rapture, but a habit-a

principle, having indeed its fainting, and its sickness, but still

returning to its original spring of life and vigor. It seems as if

the soul could never draw in enough of the influences of the

spiritual life. Its longings are insatiable-as if the heart would

"break with" the overpowering strength of its own desires; until

at length, wearied with the conflict, the believer opens his

mouth, and pants to fetch in a fresh supply of invigorating

grace. He enjoys "a little reviving" in his Lord's

commandments; enjoying the Lord Himself as his well-spring

of refreshment.

Hear the man of God elsewhere giving, or rather attempting to

give, expression to his pantings-"As the deer pants after the

water-brooks, so pants my soul after You, O God. My soul

thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land

where no water is. I stretch forth my hands unto You; my soul

thirsts after You as a thirsty land." Thus did Job open his

mouth, and pant. "O that I knew where I might find Him! that I

might come even to His seat!" And the church-pouring out her

heart before the Lord- "With my soul have I desired You in the

night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek You early." St.

Paul also describes the same intenseness of his own desire-

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already

perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I

count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do;

forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth

unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark

for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." But

amid all these examples, and infinitely beyond them all-behold

the ardor of our blessed Master in his work. Such was the

panting of His heavenly desire, that, when "wearied with his

journey," and "sitting at Jacob's well," He forgot even His

natural want for His thirsty frame, in the joy of the conversion

of a lost sinner to Himself.

And thus must our affections be fully engaged. The soul must

be kept open to heavenly influence; so that, when the Lord

touches us with conviction, inclines our hearts to Himself, and

constrains us to His service, we may be ready to "exercise

ourselves unto godliness," in receiving, cherishing, and

improving the heavenly longing after His commandments; and

may open our mouths, and pant for more advanced progress

in them. We look not so much to the quantity, as to the activity

of faith; always at work, stirring up a holy fire within, for the

utmost stretch of human attainment: like men of large projects

and high determinations, still aspiring to know more of God,

both in the enjoyment of His love, and in conformity to His will.

And shall we be ashamed of these feelings? Shall we not

rather be deeply humbled, that we know so little of them encouraged, if we have any springing of them-alarmed, if we

be utterly destitute of their influence? Shall we not be opening

our mouth, and panting, when any new path of service is

opened before us? For if we are content to be strangers to

this longing after God-this readiness for duty; what else can

be expected, but "sliding back from the Lord by a perpetual

backsliding?" Growing in sin, declining in love, and gradually

relinquishing the habit of prayer, we shall shortly find little

attaching to us but the empty name-Christianity without Christ.

The world will despise these exercises as enthusiasm, the distemper of a misguided imagination. But is it-can it be-

otherwise than a "reasonable service" as well as a bounden

obligation, to give up our whole desires to Him, who is alone

worthy of them? There can be no evidence of their sincerity,

unless they are supreme.

But let union with Christ, and the life flowing from Him, be the

constant spring of this holy ardor. Thus shall I enjoy a more

habitual influence of His love-that all-constraining principle,

which overcomes all my complaints of coldness and deadness

of heart, and fills me with pantings and longing in His service.

But am I ready to shrink from this elevated standard? If my

heart is drawing back, let me force it on. Let me lay my

command, or rather God's command, upon it. Let conscience

do its office, until my heart is brought into actual and close

contact with this touchstone of my spiritual prosperity. What

then-let me ask myself-is the pulse of my desires after

spiritual things? What exercises of grace do I find in them?

What improvement of grace do I derive from them? Do I pant,

thirst, long, after the enjoyment of heavenly pleasure? Do I

mourn over, and conflict with, that indolence and indifference,

which so often hinders my race? Oh! let me be found a

frequent suppliant at the throne of grace; bewailing my

dullness, yet "stirring up" my faith "to lay hold on" my God;

seeking for larger views of the Gospel, a warmer experience

of its promises, a more intense appetite for its enjoyments,

and a more devoted attachment to its service. Surely such

desires will issue in the confidence of faith. "My soul shall be

satisfied as with marrow and fatness."



by

Charles Bridges

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