Prayer for Christ’s Sake
“Prayer shall be made for Him continually.”
Psalm lxii. 15.
PRAYER for Him! Prayer for the Divine Being — the Messiah! Prayer for the welfare of Christ! The words are startling, the sentiment more startling still. I have been accustomed to pray for those in need — for the poor, the squalid, the vicious. But to pray for God. to supplicate in behalf of a being who is exalted above all other beings — is not that a profane thing! No, my brother; it is very holy, very pious — the most pious of all prayers. When you say that your Christ is exalted above all other beings did it never strike you that you have declared Him to be in need! To be exalted above all things is for Divine Love a source of deepest pain. The pain of Divine Love is jiisf this elevation — this eminence, alone. It longs to step down, to break its solitude. It longs to behold in humanity a mirror of itself — another self whom it can speak to. Did you ever ask yourself why in teaching men to pray our Lord told them to pray first for the Father? Why did He bid them begin by saying ‘’ Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done “? Was not our need of daily bread more pressing? No. Christ knew that there was no hunger equal to the hunger of the Father. He knew that the heart of Divine Love was famished. He knew that the utmost human destitution cannot approach in its intensity the want felt by Divine Love. Therefore before all things He bids us pity the impoverished heart of God — pity it and pray for it. He bids us remember the Divine want ere we remember the human. Think of the Father! He cries. Think of the Father’s loneliness, think of the Father’s prayer! Remember Love’s poverty without love! Remember the solitude of a God without communion! Let Him have your first sympathy, your earnest prayer!
O Thou who hast taken into Thy hand the work of the Father, I shall pray continually for Thee! I often pray to Thee; I shall learn to pray for Thee. I have been taught from my childhood to say ‘’ for Christ’s sake,” ‘’ for Jesus’ sake,” but I did not realise its meaning. I never understood that I was asking for Thy joy. I understand it now; and my old prayer gets a new significance for me. I thought I was asking for my own happiness; I see that unconsciously I was asking for Thine. Be it no more unconsciously, O Lord! Whatever I ask, let it be for Thy sake! If I desire gold, let it be for Thy manger! If I desire the gift of song, let it be for Thy Bethlehem! If I desire the hour of mirth, let it be for Thy Cana! If I desire the joys of home, let it be for Thy Nazareth! Let me treasure the alabaster for Thcc, the spices for Thee, the household wares of Bethany for Thee! If I ask wealth, let it be to feed Thy poor! If I ask health, let it be to bear Thy journeys! If I ask eloquence, let it be to repeat Thine accents! If I ask genius, let it be to plead Thy cause! If T ask beauty, let it be to reflect Thine image! If I ask the strength of a resurrection body, let it be to help Thy burden up the Dolorous Way! So shall my supplications be songs of love; my prayers will all be praises when they are prayers for Thee.