| The Building of Character |
Chapter 23 |
Page 6 |
Samuel said it would be a sin against the Lord for him to cease praying for the people. It would be failing in a duty, and that is always a sin against God. We are to represent God in this world. He never ceases to love and care for His children. He is kind to the unthankful and the evil. He wants us to have the same spirit toward others that He has — to be always interested in them. For us to be indifferent to the good of any human being is ungodlike. To cease to pray for any one is to fail in part of our duty.
Then God has ordained that many of His blessings shall come to His children through prayer. He is ready to bestow upon them the favours of His love; but He would be inquired of, to do it for them. He says, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” That is, the gifts are within our reach, but they must be claimed; they wait to be sought. This is true of good things both for ourselves and for others. We do not know how much we miss of the grace and help and fullness of life which God has in store for us, simply because we do not ask more largely. When we cease to pray for ourselves, or only ask little things, we impoverish our lives.
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