John Goszner: The Right to Appear Before the Face of God and to Pray

The permission or right to appear before the face of God and to pray, is a mercy that can not be valued highly enough, nor sufficiently acknowledged and prized by any child of man. It is a privilege above all other privileges, a treasure to be preferred far above all other treasures. If a gold mine or a silver mine, a sea full of pearls and gems, were at your disposal, it ought not to be as dear and precious to you, or be able to make you as happy, rich and excellent as the right to pray, to come to God and His treasury of grace, and draw from that all that you need.

I entreated thy favor with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. Ps. 119:58.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matt. 7:7 ff.

Oh, that all men understood this! Oh, that all men knew what lies reserved here for them who make use of prayer and who draw near to God in prayer! He who understands this, makes use of prayer first and above all and as often as possible. Every minute that he can use for that purpose is precious. When others think, I must go here or there to find gain, honor and pleasure, then he who is a judge of prayer thinks, I know of no better place, no happier course, no richer spring to all riches, honor and joy, than prayer, the communion with God. There I become rich, honored, favored, happy and excellent more than in any other place in heaven or on earth. Therefore he goes most frequently to prayer and does not allow himself by any inducement or enticement or for any price whatever, to be kept from prayer.

Oh, let us to His courts repair.
And bow with adoration there;
Low on our knees with reverence fall.
And on the Lord our Maker call.

From: John Goszner’s Treasury: Bible Meditations and Devotional Songs for Each Day of the Year. 1906/2021 Free download at LutheranLibrary.org “Friday After the Ninth Sunday After Trinity.”