Runaway Knocks

“Watch in prayer to see what cometh. Foolish boys, that knock at a door in wantonness, will not stay till somebody cometh to open to them; btct a man that hath business will knock, and knock agai?t, till he gets his a7iswerP To pray and not to look for an answer argues either a mere formality in prayer, and that makes the prayer to be dead; or else unbelief as to the truth of God, and that makes the prayer to be corrupt. He who presents a cheque at the banker’s looks to have money for it; if not, he is not a business man, but a mere trifler. So in our pleadings of the divine promise we expect a fulfilment, or otherwise we do but play with God. How many runaway knocks we give at mercy’s gate! Let us put away such childish things, and treat prayer as a reality: then shall we be answered of a truth. “I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

He who writes these lines bears witness that he has never knocked in vain at the Lord’s door, and he begs the reader to make trial of that which he has found so effectual. “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”