“Let sermons and prayers be thy delight, because they are roads wherein the Saviour walketh. Let the righteous be thy constant company, for such ever bring Him where they come.
It is the least thing thou canst do to stand where grace usually dispenseth its favor. Even the beggar writes his petition on the flagstone of a frequented thoroughfare, because he hopeth that among the many passers, some few at least will give him charity; learn from him to offer thy prayers where mercies are known to move in the greatest number, that amid them all there may be one for thee.
Keep thy sail up when there is no wind, that when it blows thou mayst not have need to prepare for it; use means when thou seest no grace attending them, for thus wilt thou be in the way when grace comes.
Better go fifty times and gain nothing than lose one good opportunity. If the angel stir not the pool, yet lie there still, for it may be the moment when thou leavest it will be the season of his descending.
Cry after Him. Thou hast been lying in his path for many a day, but He has not turned His eye upon thee. What then? Art thou content to let Him pass thee by? Art thou willing to lose so precious an opportunity?
No! thou desirest life, and thou wilt not be ashamed to beg aloud for it: thou wilt not fear to take him for an example of whom it is written:
“When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me! And many charged him that he should hold his peace; but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!”
It is an old proverb, ‘We lose nothing by asking,” and it is an older promise, ‘Ask and ye shall receive.’ Be not afraid of crying too loudly. It is recorded, to the honour of Mordecai, that he cried with a loud cry; and we know that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.
Think it not possible to pray too frequently, but at morning, at noon, and at eventide, lift up thy soul unto God. Let not despondency stop the voice of thy supplication, for He who heareth the young ravens when they cry, will in due time listen to the trembling words of thy desire.
Give Him no rest until he hear thee; like the importunate widow, be thou always at the heels of the great One; give not up because the past has proved apparently fruitless, remember Jericho stood firm for six days, but yet when they gave an exceeding great shout, it fell flat to the ground.
“Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.”
Let groans, and sighs, and vows keep up perpetual assault at heaven’s doors.”
–Charles H. Spurgeon, The Saint and His Savior: The Progress of the Soul in the Knowledge of Jesus (New York: Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., 1858), 143–146.
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