The prayer you have offered is one that pleases the Lord, for it reaches after the soul of a man and cries out for the yielding of his will to the Father. There is no mightier petition, for what is the will of man but the hinge upon which his whole eternity turns? As I have often said, God’s will is the axle of the universe, the great heart of providence sending its pulsings through every human act; yet in grace He stoops to work upon our stubborn wills, not against them, but by changing them, making us willing in the day of His power. Pray on, then, and let your voice be heard in the secret place, for the use of the voice in prayer, though not essential, often stirs the soul to greater earnestness, and He who gave ear to your cry will bend to listen again.
You long to see this man submit to God’s voice, and well you might, for when a soul hears His voice in the Word, that voice carries a power no mere letter can convey. It is a blessed thing to put your ear down to the promises of Scripture till you hear God Himself speaking through them. And what does He speak but “I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy”? Mark those “I wills” and “shalls”, they are God’s own language. The heart of man may boast, “I will go, I will buy, I will sell, I will get gain,” but what folly it is to think we can propose and dispose without His consent! All things are under regulation, and nothing happens but what He permits or ordains. Pray that this landlord may hear that voice which cries, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” That voice still sounds forth, and it is the sure remedy for a will that fights against its Maker.
Yet remember, there must be a full surrender, no little reserve kept back, for that reserved bit will be the channel through which the life bleeds away. Are you wholly His? Let that question search you first, for you are God’s witness, and your life will be cross-examined by the world. But as for this man, plead the promise that He will not leave His purpose half accomplished. God begins, and He will finish; He plucks brands from the burning and does not cast them back into the flame. Tell your landlord, as once poor Hagar was questioned, “Where will you go?” The steps of sin lead ever downward; but if he will but turn, the Father sees him a great way off, runs to meet him, and clothes him with mercy. His voice still says, “Return unto Me, and I will return unto you.”
Pray, then, with confidence, for salvation is of God’s will, and His free will delights to stoop to the wretched. You will yet sing of this soul as one who owed much to grace, a jewel set in the Redeemer’s crown. And when at last the enemy is clothed with shame and the Saviour’s crown flourishes upon His head, what joy will be yours, having had a share in this great rescue! Until that day, continue to cry aloud; the Lord’s ear is not heavy, that it cannot hear.