Isaiah 43:22 But you have not called on me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel.… There are two distinct charges — 1. A neglect of prayer. 2. Growing weary of God.The point is this: people are at a dangerous pass when they begin to neglect prayer. Eliphaz layeth it as a heavy charge upon Job (Job15:4): "Surely thou restrainest prayer before God." When conscience is clamorous, wants pressing, and yet men cannot find the heart to go to God, it is a sad case. So the heathen are described to be the families that call not upon His name (Jeremiah 10:25); that is, that do not acknowledge and worship Him. "The workers of iniquity," of what religion soever they profess themselves to he, "they call not upon the Lord" (Psalm 14:4). The evil of this will appear if we consider — I. WHY THE DUTY WAS APPOINTED. 1. It is a notable part of God's worship, or a serious calling to mind His presence and attributes. To withdraw from prayer is to withdraw from God; and to be unwilling to pray is to be unwilling to draw nigh to God, or to have any serious thoughts of His being and attributes. 2. It is a profession of our dependence. 3. It is a duty wherein the mysteries of our most holy faith are reduced to practice. There are two great mysteries in the Christian religion — the doctrine of the Trinity, and the mediation of the Son of God. 4. One special end of prayer is to nourish communion and familiarity between God and us; for it is the converse of a loving soul with God, between whom there is a mutual complacency. 5. Prayer is required to preserve in us a sense of our duty, and to keep the heart in better frame. 6. To engage our affections to heavenly things. 7. To be a means of comfort and spiritual refreshing. The soul is disburdened of trouble by this kind of utterance. II. THE CAUSES WHY MEN NEGLECT IT. 1. Atheism is at the root. When men neglect prayer, either they believe there is no God or no providence. 2. Security. 3. Coldness in religion and weariness of God. 4. Want of peace breeds loathness and backwardness, as David hung off (Psalm 32:3) till he had recovered his peace. 5. Want of spiritual strength. He that hath lame joints cannot delight in exercise which is a pleasure to them that are strong. ( T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.WEB: Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel. |
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