Acts 9:11

DISCOURSE: 1763
SAUL’S PRAYER

Acts 9:11. Behold, he prayeth.

WHEN we speak of the grace of God as the free and only source of good to man, we are often misunderstood, as though we affirmed that man is wholly passive in the work of salvation: whereas, the truth is, that though, in the first instance, God puts into his heart the good desire, that desire immediately exerts itself in voluntary and earnest efforts for the attainment of the thing desired. This is discoverable in the conversion of Saul: in the first instance, God stopped him in his career of sin, and discovered to him his guilt and danger; but from that moment Saul gave himself to fasting and prayer, that by those means he might obtain yet further blessings from God: and God, as though he would shew us in the most striking manner the necessity of our own personal exertions, expressly pointed out to Ananias the reason of his communicating further blessings to Saul through his instrumentality; “Go, and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus; for, behold, he prayeth.”

We will endeavour to point out,

I. What there was in that prayer which attracted the Divine notice—

We cannot doubt but that Saul, who was “touching the righteousness of the law blameless,” had often bowed his knees before God in prayer: but he had never prayed aright till now. In this prayer of his was,

1. Humility—

[He never could have prayed with true humility before, because he was unconscious of his lost estate. He was ignorant of the spirituality of the law, and, consequently, of his multiplied transgressions against it: he even thought himself “alive,” as having never given to God any just cause to condemn him. What then must his prayers have been, but, like those of the Pharisee, “I thank thee, O God, that I am not as other men are?” But contrition is the very essence of prayer: it is “the broken and contrite heart, which God will not despise.” To “smite upon our breasts,” as guilty self-condemning sinners, and to “cry for mercy,” like the poor Publican, is more acceptable to God than all the sacrifices and burnt-offerings that ever were offered.]

2. Earnestness—

[It is a sense of need that must make us earnest: and, as Saul was insensible of his danger, he could not till now plead with that importunity that became him. But now he was like the manslayer fleeing from the avenger of blood. Now, like his Lord and Saviour, he “made prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears [Note: Hebrews 5:7.]:” and, like the patriarch Jacob, he wrestled with God, saying, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me [Note: Hosea 12:4.].” Instantly therefore did God fulfil to him that promise which Jesus has left us for the encouragement of all his people [Note: Matthew 7:7.]—]

3. Faith—

[The prayers which Saul had offered in former times could not have had respect to a Saviour, because he had not felt his need of a Saviour. But now he saw that there was no hope of mercy, but through that very Jesus whom he had persecuted: now he thankfully embraced the salvation that Jesus offered him: he no longer “went about to establish a righteousness of his own, but gladly submitted to the righteousness of God” revealed in the Gospel. When he said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” he cordially received Christ as “his wisdom, his righteousness, his sanctification, and redemption:” and no sooner did he thus desire to make Christ his all, than God expressed his acceptance of his prayers, “Behold he prayeth!” God would not suffer the prayer of faith to go forth in vain.]
We propose, in the next place, to shew,

II.

What we may learn from the notice which God took of it—

This fact is very instructive: it shews us,

1. That God is observant of our frame and conduct—

[“The eye of God is in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” But more especially does he look upon the humble suppliant: he himself declares, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word [Note: Isaiah 66:2.].” Behold, when a holy purpose was formed in the heart of Ephraim, how attentive God was to it; “Ephraim saith, What have I to do any more with idols?” Surely, saith God, “I have heard him, and observed him [Note: Hosea 14:8.].” And when the same penitent laid his transgressions more deeply to heart, God quite exulted over him, if we may so speak: “Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus” — — — And then, with a complacent regard to him, God appealed, as it were, to the whole universe: “Is not Ephraim my dear son? is he not a pleasant child [Note: Jeremiah 31:18.]?” — — —]

2. That mere formal services are not accounted prayer in God’s sight—

[All the petitions which Saul had offered in former times were a mere lip-service which God did not accept. “God is a Spirit; and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth:” the heart must accompany the lips, or else the worship is hypocritical and vain [Note: Matthew 15:8.]. This is strongly marked by the Prophet Jeremiah, who tells us that then, and then only, shall God be found, when we seek for him with our whole heart [Note: Jeremiah 29:13.]

3. That humble and believing prayer shall never go forth in vain—

[God may see fit to suspend his answer for a time: even in the case before us, he did not answer till Saul had continued in prayer three whole days and nights. But “though he tarry, he will come at last:” he has assured us, in the parable of the Importunate Widow, that the prayer of faith shall never be in vain [Note: Luke 18:7.]: and in very many instances he fulfils to men that promise which he has given us by the Prophet Isaiah, “It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear [Note: Isaiah 65:24.].”]

Address—
1.

To those who never pray at all—

[Alas! how many are there of whom the All-seeing God must say, ‘Behold he rises from his bed without prayer: he goes through the day, and retires to rest again, without prayer: this is his constant habit: the sins he commits, excite in him no compunction: and the mercies he receives, call forth no gratitude: he lives without God in the world: ungrateful wretch that he is, he never calls upon my name: never once in all his life could I truly say of him, “Behold, he prayeth.” ’ Brethren, do you know that all this neglect is recorded in the book of God’s remembrance, and that it must be accounted for at last? Do not deceive yourselves with an idea that your formal heartless services are accepted of him; for, if he that wavereth in his mind through unbelieving fears shall receive nothing of the Lord, much less shall he receive any thing who never asks with any real desire to obtain the blessings he asks for [Note: James 1:6.]

2. To those who do pray—

[It is a great mercy if our minds have been so far awakened to a sense of our guilt and danger, that we have been constrained to cry to God for deliverance. But we are ever prone to relapse into coldness and formality: indeed there is nothing more difficult than to keep up a spirit of prayer, and to live nigh to God, in a state of habitual fellowship with him. Any little thing, however trifling and insignificant, is sufficient to divert our attention from prayer, or to distract our minds in the performance of it. Hence we are so often exhorted to pray without ceasing, to watch unto prayer, to continue instant in it with all perseverance. Let us then guard against fainting or weariness in this holy duty. It will be of no benefit to us to have sought after God in former times, if we decline from him now: our former prayers will be of no service, if they be discontinued. As our former sinfulness shall not be remembered, when once we turn unto God in penitence and faith; so neither shall our past righteousness be remembered, if we depart from it.
It is possible that we may be hindered in this duty, by an apprehension that we shall not be heard: but we must guard against this temptation, by recollecting, that there is no guilt so great but the prayer of faith can remove it [Note: See the peculiar stress laid on prayer in reference to Manasseh; 2 Chronicles 33:12; 2 Chronicles 33:18.], nor any state so desperate from which it shall not prevail to deliver us [Note: John 2:1.]. “God never did, nor ever will say to any, ‘Seek ye my face’ in vain.”]