Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
ASK and We shall Receive.


1t would seem a. though all Gods word,
| 10 MS in reference to asking blessings Of
Him, and all His dealings with us IN refer
ence 10 such requests, were so many chal
leges 10 our faith and hope. If We take uI
His promises 10 the praying heart, we shall
find that they are without limitation on
Gods side there is no restriction upon tho
blessing that may be sought Ask and il
| shall be given" Ask how often From
heaven there is no answer TO that query
| There is not the slightest intimation that
we can trespass by too frequent supplica
| tion. II is left TO Ms TO say how many times
a day we may prefer a petition. II is a chal
| lenge TO our faith We are 20 prove the
promises and see If lie can be wearied with
our coming
Ask how much ? How large bless
ing How many interpositions Ask =
! for whom For ourselves For our chill
/ drcn For our friends. our church, our
| city. our land and the world There are nc
| metes and bounds. The word stands alone
-" Ash, and it looks out upon the in.
/ finite. It is for our faith 10 extend it, and
apply it to what treasures Of gtace and good
ness we please.
This Interpretation of the promise is not
eXtrayagaut or overstraincd. Still the call
/ importmes us, Bring all the tithes into the
| storehouse, and prore me. If will not poru
out a blessing tin there shall not be room to
receive IT,
OpeH yovr mouth ride is the call 10 us
and win fiji it," An Gods dehverances
vouchsaied in answer TO prayer, confirm the
| largcness of the promise. Something of the
/ divine power is in each Of them; and they
move MS io question whether Gods goodnes.
or omnipoteucc were exhausted in Iii,
working
All, We are not stgaitened ia God We
/ are only straitened in ourselves. We limit
/ God by our sluggisbness and unbelief We
set the bounds to His giving, by setting
bounds TO our asking. When lie leaves the
infinite open 10 our requests, We bring in the
narrow horizon Of our languid desires or oui
/ halting faith.
Can we not see that large asking and large
| expectation ON our part honor God They
declare our sense Of His greatness and good
ness. They attest our confidence in the
truth Of His pledges. They magnify all Iii.
natural aud moral attributes in the sight OF
men. They cxalt the heritage of His people
| IN the estimate of the world.
suppose some friend Of ours, whose wealth
| is known TO be PRACTICALLY unlimited, should
/ declare his readiness and willingness to sup
| ply all our wants suppose he should put
into our hand a book of checks" all signed
/ by his own hand, and the amounts left blank
for Ms TO fill up in any need, with such sums
as viii meet every possible cxigency; sup
| pose we tell our kindred and acquaintance
/ what a friend we have and how richly pro
| vided We are for every strait and then, sup
/ pose we 60 about half-starved, groaning with
leanness and faintness or only half-clothed
shiyering in thin rags, and the shame of oui
uakedness bowing us down to the ground
would not those who knew rs be moved with
wonder and doubt Would not one Of them
say TO us 81 thought the great banker had
undertaken to feed and clothe you? Is thi,
the best he does for YOU His offer could
| not have been very sincere. His words were
! large but they do not seem to have meant
much
How such demonstration on our part
would shame the truth and generosity of our
friend. Or five acknowledge that we did
not use the checks, and did not more than
half believe they would be honored, how the
confession would shame our own littleness
and meannoss of confidence in our benefactor
Lord, increase our faith r. A large ex
pectation will prepare US to receive a large
blessing. II viii affect our desires. 1t will
control our working. 1t will shape our
plans. II will stimulate our importantly
and especially will it honor God.