Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:40:46 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Feb. 1); BP: Ps. 61; RBTTY: Mt. 21:1-22; Ex. 27-28
February 1 “The Cry of Desperation”
“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto You, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”
Psalm 61:1-2
The greatest prayers we’ll ever pray
Are not those that arise so quickly,
For they’re often shallow, given with little thought
That spring from the lips so insincerely.
Like feeble arrows shot upward,
They rise and quickly fall;
So soon forgotten by the one who prayed
And the One on Whose Name they did call.
Fervent prayers are effectual prayers,
For they spring from the soul’s deepest part;
They’re often accompanied “with strong crying and tears,”
For they arise from the depths of our heart.
No clever ditty are these desperate cries
Or eloquent utterances are they;
Instead, they’re fervent, soul-wrenching pleas
That no human word can adequately say.
Like wrestling with a stronger man,
That leaves us powerless and weak,
In prayer we must wrestle and deeply groan
As the Father’s blessings we do seek.
He is no stingy tyrant,
This Giver of gifts so good;
He simply longs for us to pray with sincere hearts
As the Spirit helps us pray as we should.
Like a child who longs for his mother’s arms
Or someone who’s wandered and lost,
So we should pray deep, desperate prayers
By crying, “Oh, Lord, whatever the cost!”
Oh, help us, Lord, to pray this way—
These prayers of deep petition;
For only then will we touch Your holy heart
As we pray with heartfelt desperation.
--Tom Smith
