Waiting all the day upon our God.

Posted : 16 Aug, 2013 02:14 AM

Psalm 119:147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in Your word.



148. My eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might

meditate in Your word.





The Psalmist here brings before us not only the fervency, but

the seasons, of his supplication. Like Daniel, he had set times

of prayer-"three times a-day." Yet did not this frequent

exercise satisfy him, without an habitual "waiting all the day

upon his God." Prayer was indeed his meat, and drink, and

breath. "I give myself unto prayer." His sketch of the "blessed

man delighting in the law of his God, and"-as an evidence of

this delight- "meditating therein day and night"-unconsciously

furnished an accurate picture of himself. For early and late

was he found in the work of God; preventing the dawning of

the morning for prayer, and again the night-watches, that he

might meditate in the word. But to look above the example of

David to David's Lord-surely "it was written" most peculiarly

"for our learning," that Jesus-after a laborious Sabbath-every

moment of which appears to have been spent for the benefit

of sinners; and when His body, subject to the same infirmities,

and therefore needing the same refreshment with our own,

seemed to require repose-"in the morning, rising up a great

while before day, went out and departed into a solitary place,

and there prayed." On another occasion, when intensely

engaged in the service of His church, and about to lay her

foundation in the choice of her first ministers, did His eyes

prevent the night-watches. "He continued all night in prayer to

God."

So long as the duty only of prayer is known, we shall be

content with our set seasons. But when the privilege is felt, we

shall be early at work, following it closely morning and night.

While, however, family and social exercises are refreshing while "the tabernacles of the Lord are amiable" in our view,

and we delight to "wait at the posts of His doors;" yet it is the

lonely, confidential communion with our God-"the door shut"-

the Church as well as the world excluded-that makes our closest walk with God. Secret prayer is most likely to be true

prayer. At least there is no true prayer without it. It was the

"garden" prayer-separate even from His own disciples-that

brought special support to the fainting humanity of Jesus. And

if He needed this perfect retirement, whose affections were

always fixed upon their center, what must be our own need,

whose desires are so unstable and languishing! And how

cheering is His succoring sympathy, knowing as He does

experimentally the heart of a secret, earnest pleader! Such,

doubtless, were David's cries-penetrating no ear, but His

Father's-yet delightful incense there.

But to see the King of Israel, with all His urgent

responsibilities, "sanctifying" such frequent daily seasons

"with the word of God and prayer"-how does it expose the

insincerity of the worldling's excuse, that the pressing

avocations of the day afford no time for the service of God! It

is not, that such men are busy, and have no time for prayer;

but that they are worldly, and have no heart to pray. The

consecrated heart will always find time for secret duties, and

will rather, as David, redeem it from sleep, than lose it from

prayer.

And does not the uniform experience of the Lord's people

warrant the remark-how much our vital spirituality depends

upon the daily consecration of the first-fruits of our time to the

Lord? How often are opportunities for heavenly communion

during the day unavoidably straitened! But the night watches

and the dawning of the morning afford seasons free from

interruption, when our God expects to hear from us, and when

"the joy" of "fellowship with Him" will be "our strength" for

active service, and our preservation from many a worldly

snare. What a standard of enjoyment would it be, with our last

thoughts in the night watches, to leave as it were our hearts

with Him, and to find them with Him in the morning, awaking

as with our hearts in heaven! Surely the refreshments of our visits to Him, and His abidance with us, will often constrain us

to acknowledge-"Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and

with His Son Jesus Christ." The thoughts of God were clearly

the first visitors to David's waking mind; and to this may be

ascribed his habitual success in realizing His presence

throughout the day. The lukewarmness and our want of

spiritual enjoyment may often be traced to that morning

indolence, which not only throws the business of the day into

confusion, but also consumes the time in self-indulgence or

trifling, which should have been given to sacred communion.

For-not to speak of the seasonableness of the early hours for

devotion-the very exertion made to overcome "this lust of the

flesh," and to steal a march upon the demands of the world, is

an exercise of self-denial, honorable to God, "that shall in no

wise lose its reward." No remembrance of the past will be so

refreshing at a dying hour, as the time redeemed for

communion with God.

And, even should there be no actual enjoyment, at least let us

honor God by expectancy. I hoped in Your word. There can

be no exercise of faith in the neglect of prayer; but the ground

of faith, and that which gives to it life, hope, and joy, is the

view of God in His word as a promising God. Therefore when

His Providence opens no present encouragement, let us seek

it in His covenant. To hope in His word is to build up ourselves

upon "our most holy faith" and to lay all our desires, all our

cares, all our weights, and burdens, upon a solid, unsinking

foundation.

Well, therefore, were David's night-watches employed in

meditation in the word. For, in order to stay ourselves upon it

in time of need, it must occupy our whole study, thought, and

desire. Instability of faith arises from a want of fixed

recollection of the promises of God. This superficial habit may

suffice for times of quietness; but amid the billows of

temptation we can only cast "anchor sure and steadfast" in an habitual and intelligent confidence upon the full, free, firm

promise of the word. Let it therefore be the food of our

meditation, and the ground of our support, when our suit

seems to hang at the throne of grace without any tokens of

present acceptance. Often will it lift up our fainting hands, and

supply strength for fresh conflict, and the earnest of blessed

victory. The ground is always sure for faith. May the Lord ever

furnish us with faith enough for our daily work, conflict,

consolation, and establishment!



by

Charles Bridges

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