Magnificent Prayer #206
Magnificent Prayer #206
Truly my soul waiteth upon God.
Psalm 62:1 KJV
[The literal translation of this verse is] “Only toward God my soul is in silence”; or, “Only for God waits my soul all hushed.” The noises of contending desires, the whispers of earthly hopes, are hushed: and the soul listens.
This is the test of true waiting. Wait before God till the voices, suggestions, and energies of nature become silent. Then only can God realize his uttermost of salvation. This was the secret of Abraham’s long trial. He was left waiting till nature was spent, till all expedients proving abortive were surrendered; till all that knew him pitied him for clinging to an impossible dream.
But as this great silence fell on him, the evidence of utter helplessness and despair, there arose within his soul an ever-accumulating faith in the power of God; and there was no obstacle to prevent God realizing all, and beyond all, because all the glory accrued to Himself.
This is why God keeps you waiting. All that is of self and nature must be silenced; one voice after another cease to boast; one light after another be put out; until the soul is shut up to God alone. This process prevails equally in respect to salvation from penalty, deliverance from the power of sin, and our efforts to win souls. O my soul, be silent! Hush thee! Wait thou only upon God! Surrender thy cherished plans and reliances. Only when death has done its perfect work, will He bestow the power of an endless life.
F. B. MEYER
Pray About It: We are accustomed to associating power with loudness. Silence we often see as weakness. And yet at his most crucial hour, before Pilate, Jesus was silent. There is far more power in our silence before God than in our words. Far more. And in our flesh, we make great noise when we try to accomplish God’s will through natural means. Here too silence is called for. Isaac can only be born to Abraham when the great patriarch has lost hope in the natural realm. Allow every inner distracting noise and voice to be stilled. Silence even the flesh that rises up with a clamor.
Then will come the silence. God is in that silence.
How rare it is to find a soul silent enough to hear God speak.
FRANÇOIS FÉNELON
From the book
