A good man is willing to know the worst of himself, and particularly under affliction, desires to be told wherefore God contends with him and what God designs in correcting him.
Matthew HenryRead
Prayer is the breath of the new man, drawing in the air of mercy in petitions, and returning it in praises; it proves and maintains the spiritual life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prayer is essential for spiritual growth, connecting the individual with divine mercy and fostering a life of praise.
In this quote, Matthew Henry emphasizes the fundamental role of prayer in the life of a believer. He likens prayer to breathing, suggesting that just as physical breath sustains life, prayer sustains spiritual existence. By engaging in prayer, individuals draw in mercy through their requests and reciprocate with gratitude through praises, thus nurturing their spiritual well-being and relationship with the divine.
Themes
PrayerSpiritualMercyPraiseLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal growth, one might say, 'As Matthew Henry eloquently puts it, prayer is the breath of the new man.'
More from Matthew Henry
All quotes βThere is a burden of care in getting riches; fear in keeping them; temptation in using them; guilt in abusing them; sorrow in losing them; and a burden of account at last to be given concerning them.
Matthew HenryRead
To wait on God is to live a life of desire toward Him, delight in Him, dependence on Him, and devotedness to Him.
Matthew HenryRead
Scriptures were written, not to satisfy our curiosity and make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints.
Matthew HenryRead
What God requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them by the power of his grace going along with his word, that he may have all the praise.
Matthew HenryRead
No attribute of God is more dreadful to sinners than His holiness.
Matthew HenryRead
Similar quotes
We will only advance in our evangelistic work as fast and as far as we advance on our knees. Prayer opens the channel between a soul and God; prayerlessness closes it. Prayer releases the grip of Satan's power; prayerlessness increases it. That is why prayer is so exhausting and so vital. If we believed it, the prayer meeting would be as full as the church.
Alan RedpathRead
Through adoration, the Christian mysteriously contributes to the radical transformation of the world and to the sowing of the Gospel. Anyone who prays to the Savior draws the whole world with him and raises it to God. Those who stand before the Lord are therefore fulfilling an eminent service. They are presenting to Christ all those who do not know him or are far from him: they keep watch in his presence on their behalf.
Pope John Paul IiRead
True prayer is only another name for the love of God. Its excellence does not consist in the multitude of our words; for our Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask Him. The true prayer is that of the heart, and the heart prays only for what it desires. To pray, then is to desire -- but to desire what God would have us desire. He who asks what he does not from the bottom of his heart desire, is mistaken in thinking that he prays.
Francois FenelonRead
Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give.
Henry B. EyringRead
A triune God would call us to converse with him . . . because he wants to share the joy he has. Prayer is our way of entering into the happiness of God himself.
Timothy KellerRead
The central point of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.
Oswald ChambersRead