Having preached on the subject of Divine Deliverance yesterday, my heart was stirred this morning when I read the following message by James Smith, who wrote this to his congregation about 1840:
The prayer of faith is generally short, and always to the point. It takes the soul and places it before God, in its real state and true character. It pleads with Him for what is really needed, what must be had. The believer often needs deliverance, and faith cries to God for it. His language is, “O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul from doubts and fears, which continually beset me; from a spirit of bondage, which would daily entangle me; from Satan who worries, harasses, and hinders me; from the sin which so easily besets me; from men who would injure or mislead me; from my own feelings, which daily burden me.” Thus the Lord is acknowledged as the great Deliverer; our own inability is practically confessed; it is evident our trials and troubles are sanctified; the legitimate tendency of grace is discovered by the earnestness, simplicity, importunity, and success of our prayers. Be this our daily cry until deliverance be no longer needed; for our God says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee.”
Oh, for that tenderness of heart
Which bows before the Lord,
Acknowledges how just Thou art,
And trembles at Thy word!
Saviour, to me in pity give
The pledge Thou wilt at last receive.
