One of my favorite writers on the topic of prayer was the South African writer and pastor, Andrew Murray. I have used many of his quotes in past devotions, but today’s quote made me think just how wonderful a prayer his words ring true to my heart: “May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God’s presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for Him to fill full of His Spirit and His love.”1
As I read and re-read these words I thought to myself shouldn’t I start each day praying this marvelous prayer. In the first part of the prayer Murray asks God to continually surround him with the light, love and joy of our Savior’s presence. Being continually in this blessed state should be the heart cry of every believer for two reasons. First, having God’s light, love and joy allows one to get lost in true intimacy with Jesus because there is no more beautiful light, no more precious love, and no more exhilarating joy then to be in the very presence of the Lord. And second, when we are experiencing the light, love, and joy of Jesus it arms us with never wanting to leave this state or sin against such a wonderful God. This awesome state of being reminds me what the psalmist said in (Psalm 119:11): “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” When we are experiencing the deep intimacy of the Lord, or as I like to say hiding ourselves in His light, love, joy and Word, why would we ever want to leave this euphoric state of being by being disobedient to our Lord.
In the second part of Murray’s prayer he shares what some would call a great sacrifice, but I call a great privilege. Here he talks about his desire to completely surrender himself as a vessel for God to use to advance His kingdom and bring Him glory. For you see when we are full of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus, our heart’s desire should be to live a holy life and reflect the love of Jesus to a hurting and dying world.
In closing I would like to share a quote by the great missionary to Africa, David Livingstone. The occasion for this quote was in response to the question of how was he able to make such a great sacrifice in dedicating his life to serving as a missionary in Africa, instead of living a life of comfort in England. The audience he shared these words with was in a speech he gave at Cambridge University in 1857:
“For my own part, I have never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. . . . Is that a sacrifice which brings its own blest reward in healthful activity, the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter? Away with the word in such a view, and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger, now and then, with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life, may make us pause, and cause the spirit to waver, and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.”2
My friends, Livingstone understood, and I pray we do to, how glorifying God and experiencing joy go hand in hand even when sacrifice, self-denial, and suffering are often required of the Christian!
May I challenge you to start your day with this wonderful prayer by Andrew Murray. And maybe before you go to bed, take a moment to read the quote by David Livingstone. I pray that they both will inspire you as they inspired me.