PRIVATE PRAYER
‘Daniel … kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed.’
I. Daniel was a wonderful man.—He was the third ruler in the greatest empire of the world. He was the patriarch to the people in their exile. He was the inspired author of a great book. He was a sage, a prophet, and an intercessor. Never, perhaps, has the world seen a busier man. And yet that man found time regularly for acts of prayer three times a day!
II. Remark it, men of business! Remark it, women of various occupations!—The busiest always have the most leisure. The busiest never complain of want of time for God. Want of time may be an excuse, but want of time is never the reason.
III. And is it too much to trace all Daniel’s greatness—unparalleled by any private character in all history—to those habits of secret devotion—that great measure of personal religion; and that deep means of all grace?
IV. Be sure of this, that none ever tamper with private prayer without a corresponding and inevitable detriment to their own souls.—For the prayer of the chamber is the key of the life.
V. And you will have very plain tokens of God’s love and favour very soon.—And all the day long you will go about meeting the answers to your prayers; for it is not at the Day of Judgment only, but often, and long before, those words will come true, ‘Pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.’
—Rev. Jas. Vaughan.
Illustrations
(1) ‘As a general habit, it is by far the best in your private prayer to pray in your own words, and as your own heart dictates. No prepared form, however good, can represent all your feelings and desires. And individuality will be the stamp of private prayer; and forms of prayer are as inappropriate there as they are essential here. Every one, in public worship, does and must use forms, either the form of a prayer-book, or the far inferior form of the mind of the minister who is leading the prayer. Still, a form of prayer, even in your own chamber, is sometimes, through our infirmities, necessary, and often helpful. Therefore have one, to use when you want it, always at hand. Supplement your own prayer with it. If you like, employ it partly, but not always, and not chiefly. Before you pray, you will do well to settle with yourself, for a minute or two, what you are specially going to ask, to supplicate, to thank for. Be still a minute. Every sanctuary wants its porch. And you cannot be too minute. Think in detail. Pray in detail about particular mercies, particular sins, particular wants, particular cares. The day’s circumstances. Deal with the day. You cannot be too minute. For whatever you are besides, be real; and reality always lies in little things.’
(2) ‘Make it a rule and a habit that whenever a certain time comes round, in the middle of the day, you will secure a little pause in your own heart—if it be only for a minute or two—for a secret act of communion with God. All, however busy, can compass this. Nevertheless, do not make a slavery of that which should be, and is, perfectly free, nor distress yourself by an omission, your conscience being witness that you love it, and would do it if you could. No public worship should ever supersede private prayer. It would be ill-purchased at such a price!’