Petitions

In the moment when

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In the moment when you make the least petition to God, though it be but a silent wish that he may approve you, or add one moment to your life,–do you not, in the very act, necessarily exclude all other beings from your thought? In that act, the soul stands alone with God, and Jesus … Read more

Why do I always

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Why do I always have to be the one who says ‘stop’?’ I demanded, my voice little more than a moan. ‘You don’t. In fact, at this point I’m considering a petition to that word stricken from the English language.’ His grin was almost lazy, the gleam in his eyes an effortless challenge. ‘If I … Read more

The petition of persons

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The petition of persons under eighteen, praying that I would free all slave children, and the heading of which petition it appears you wrote, was handed me a few days since by Senator Sumner. Please tell these little people I am very glad their young hearts are so full of just and generous sympathy, and … Read more

Only Thee That I

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Only Thee That I want thee, only thee—let my heart repeat without end. All desires that distract me, day and night, are false and empty to the core. As the night keeps hidden in its gloom the petition for light, even thus in the depth of my unconsciousness rings the cry —`I want thee, only thee’. As the storm still seeks its end in peace when it strikes against peace with all its might, even thus my rebellion strikes against thy love and still its cry is —`I want thee, only thee’.
Rabindranath Tagore

If we would pray

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If we would pray aright, the first thing we should do is to see to it that we really get an audience with God, that we really get into His very presence. Before a word of petition is offered, we should have the definite consciousness that we are talking to God, and should believe that He is listening and is going to grant the thing that we ask of Him.
R. A. Torrey