I got a email this morning in response to my post of yesterday entitled; "
Don't you know there's a war on?". In SGM-speak you could call it an "observational" email. In short the emailer was suggesting that I am proud for appearing unsatisfied and unhappy with the Christian life and my current experience of God and should "calm down" and "grow up". I'm rather used to this so-called "mature" advice - I was told that by an elder in Dunstable just after I was baptised in the Holy Spirit in 1997 and kindly rejected that advice also.
But I was walking home thinking about how Christians strike the balance between bitterness and disappointment at the silence of God - compared to a holy and righteous persistance in the throne room of God. Dr Lloyd-Jones was fonding of quoting Thomas Goodwin - a great Puritan - who would say;
"Sue Him for it! Sue Him for it! Do not let Him go until He give the Spirit to you!".This was speaking of praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
My mind then went to my nursing career. I have been a critical care paediatric nurse for almost 9 years now so venture to say I know a little about child health. One of the most basic things that a child does is to cry. Children cry instinctively. And their tears speak of a need - it is usually either food or care or a nappy change. But their tears presuppose a need - that someone will come and meet that need if they cry.
One of the
MOST worrying things for any health care professional - doctor, nurse or other - is a child who doesn't cry and has stopped crying. A child who is sickly and pale and malnourished and mistreated and is deathly silent. That child needs instant medical attention. The child has stopped crying possibly because their needs were consistently never met by a loving parent or possibly no longer have the strength to show their need anymore.
It struck me that empassioned prayer is somewhat like a crying child. We are telling a loving Father of our need and of our most basic desires. I wonder - does a Christian who is sickly and pale and disappointed and disillusioned somewhat resemble that desperately ill child? Surely we must never, ever give up crying to God and pleading with Him for our deepest hearts desire.
