A Moody Stuart
Prayer is the offering up of our desires, for things agreeable to the will of God: for the hallowing of His name and the hastening of His kingdom, the pardon of sin and renewal of the heart, the gift of eternal life and supply of earthly bread day by day. It is the will of God – consistent with His honour, His justice, His truth, and agreeable to His mercy – to bestow such favours on sinners through Jesus Christ.
Prayer is asking Him to do for myself, in particular, what is according to His revealed will in general. It is not doubting His willingness to save, but aiming to move His will towards my deliverance – knowing also that He wills to be so called upon in the name of Jesus. The importunity of the supplication, “Friend, lend me three loaves,” is exactly in the strain of the plea, “If thou wilt, thou canst”: thou hast the loaves, let it please thee to give them to me; and the purpose of all the pressing is to move the will of the friend toward the suppliant.
It is good for us so to come to Jesus, to kneel before Him, and beseech Him, “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean”.