As we look back, is there not much that we can thank Him for? In spite of disappointments and difficulties has

not His good Hand been over us continually?

Can we honestly say that we have lacked anything that is really needful? No! Well then, let us complain less

and praise more! If sometimes `we know not what to pray for as we ought', we can always find something to praise

the Lord for and real prayer is praise as well as making requests.

May this be characteristic of our praying in future days.

`Giving thanks always for all things unto God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Eph. 5:20).

`In everything give thanks' (1 Thess. 5:18).

4

Sometimes we arrive at the point in our prayer life when we are perplexed as to what to pray for. We echo

Romans 8:26, `we know not what to pray for as we ought'. This is owing to our weakness and lack of wisdom or

knowledge.  But the context should give us great encouragement.  `The Spirit also helpeth our weakness'

God does not need to be informed of our frailty. We are assured of the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in aiding

our prayers. He Himself and the Lord Jesus Christ make intercession for us, and do so `according to the will of

God' (verses 26-28, 34). There is therefore no need for us to cease praying because we do not know what to pray

Very often our difficulty is due to the fact that we cannot express our deepest feelings in words. Even this need

not be a barrier. For `He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit'. That is to say The Spirit

Himself can read and understand all the secret longings of the new nature that He has given us, and can therefore

interpret these desires `according to God'.

Not only does the Holy Spirit give us His Divine aid in prayer by His intercession, but Christ Himself also

intercedes for us at the right hand of God (verse 34). The Saviour and the Holy Spirit are both using their almighty

power on our behalf.

What a strong position we are in then! And how glad we should be as we realise the greatness of God's

provision for our natural weakness so that our prayer life may be really effectual!

5

When ought we to pray? Should there be set times for prayer? Undoubtedly it is good to `enter into thy closet,

and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret' (Matt 6:6). To retire from the noise and

bustle of everyday life and lift our hearts to the Lord in praise and communion is a wonderful experience and one

that we should practise whenever possible.

On one occasion the Lord said, `Men ought always to pray and not to faint' (Luke 18:1) and we have this

exemplified in the witness of the apostle Paul. In Romans 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Ephesians 1:16, Colossians

1:9, and 2 Timothy 1:3 he declared that he prayed without ceasing.

Does this mean that the apostle was on his knees day and night? By no means. He was the busiest of men.

Read again what his faithful witness for the Lord cost him (2 Cor. 11:23-28) ending with `the care of all the

churches'. Yet he never stopped praying! He learned to commune with the Lord under all conditions and at all

times. And so can we. In the business or home, along the busy street, or wherever we may be, we can talk to our

Heavenly Father through the One Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ, and so have the joy of continual praise and

intercession for the furtherance of the Truth.

When ought we to pray? The answer is always.