Gerhard on Prayer

Gerhard has some beautiful and assuring things to say about prayer. In his Exercitium Pietatis Quotidianum, which has been retitled Meditations on Divine Mercy by CPH, he provides four “immovable truths on which our confidence to pray” may rest:

1. God’s omnipotent kindness
2. God’s unfailing truthfulness
3. Christ’s intercession as our mediator
4. the Holy Spirit’s testimony

In the midst of suffering, confidence in God’s loving mercy and constant attention to our prayers naturally falters. One’s mind flits from thoughts about God permitting suffering to the thought that he might not hear and care about our prayers, especially our prayers to alleviate suffering. Trite jingoistic sayings about prayer are little help to combat these doubts, but Gerhard’s thoughts are immensely helpful for combating doubt. Surely, if God has given his Son for us and if he promises that he will surely listen to our prayers, then we can trust this demonstration of his omnipotent goodness and his promise to us regarding prayer. Moreover, we know that the very Son who was given and gave Himself for us, intercedes for us as our mediator, and the Holy Spirit Himself perfects our prayers and offers up prayers for us. In light of these assurances, we can surely trust that God listens to our prayers and cares about them.

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