At this evening’s prayer service at Midlane Park ARP Church, I read some quotes from Thomas Boston on the subject of prayer. Since this morning’s sermon was from Romans 8:14-17 and dealt with the doctrine of adoption, these quotes were especially pertinent. They appear in a chapter by Joel Beeke, entitled “Thomas Boston on Prayer to Our Father,” in Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer.
- “The children of God are praying persons. There is no child so unnatural as to be still in his presence, and never to converse with him.”
- “We should draw near to God in prayer with child-like dispositions and affections toward Him.”
- “The advancement [of the Kingdom of God] is desired by all the children of God.”
- “Every true believer ardently wishes and prays that God may be glorified, and as far as his power, authority, influence, and example, can reach, he will use his utmost endeavors to induce others to glorify the name of his God.”
- “Show yourselves of the family of heaven, by your concern that the Lord’s kingdom may come. … For this is the language of those who cry unto God, ‘Abba, Father.’ … It is their Father’s Kingdom. How then can the children not be concerned for it?”
I hope that these various quotes are a convincing call to prayer and an encouragement in prayer to all the sons and daughters of God.
