Behold He Prayeth

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Acts 9:11

And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul…

These words are the hallmark of genuine conversion. "Behold, he prayeth" is a surer witness of a man's conversion than, "Behold, he singeth, or, readeth the Scripture, or, preacheth." These things may be admirably done by men who are not regenerate; but if a man really prays, we may know that he has passed from death unto life. Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Ghost upon the renewed heart. Hence the Lord gave to Ananias his sure indication that Saul of Tarsus was a converted man, by saying to him, "Behold, he prayeth." In Saul's case, this indication was very specially remarkable: "Behold, he prayeth" had a peculiar meaning in relation to this converted Pharisee. I shall have to show you this at length. It was thought a great wonder that King Saul, of the Old Testament, prophesied. So unexpected and singular was the event that it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?" But it was an equal marvel when this more modern Saul was seen to pray. Is Saul of Tarsus among those who pray to Jesus for mercy? The Lord from heaven Himself mentions it as a prodigy, he points to it as a thing to be beheld and wondered at, for He says to His servant Ananias, "Behold, he prayeth." This expression concerning Saul of Tarsus is remarkable, for —

I. IT IMPLIES THAT HE HAD NEVER PRAYED BEFORE. This is very striking, for Saul was a Pharisee, and therefore a man who habitually repeated prayers; but He who searcheth the hearts, and knew what prayer is, here declares that now at length he begins to pray. What his friends would have put down as a great mass of prayer, the Lord makes nothing of. I want to push this fact home upon those who in a formal manner have always prayed and yet have never spiritually prayed.

1. Real prayer must be spiritual; and Saul's prayers had not been such before. Words are but the body of devotion: the confession of sin, the longing for mercy, these are the spirit of prayer. A man may have repeated the choicest words, and yet not have prayed at all. A man may utter no word whatever, and he may be praying most effectually, as Moses and Hannah. Anyhow, that prayer which is not spiritual is not prayer; for "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." If the spirit does not commune with God, there may have been music and oratory, but there has been no prayer.

2. Saul had never offered prayer of the kind which the Lord can accept. He knew the letter of the truth according to the ceremonial law; but he did not know the spirit of it as it is embodied in Jesus. He had been going about to establish his own righteousness, but he had not submitted himself to the righteousness of Christ; and therefore in his prayer he had not been traversing the road which led to the heart of God. If you employ a servant to do a work, and he persists in doing another thing, however industriously he works, he will receive nothing at your hands. So if you pray in a way which God has never ordained, you will not receive anything of the Lord.

3. Saul had never made mention of the name of Jesus. There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved; there is none other name by which we can hopefully approach the mercy seat. Saul had rejected that name, and had come in his own.

4. Real prayer cannot come from men whose characters are contrary to the mind of God. Their lives have effectually pleaded against their lips. Saul of Tarsus was opposed to the Son of God; how could he be in favour with God Himself? If we set ourselves in opposition to His gospel, while we pretend to be knocking at heaven's gate we are turning the key against ourselves. Saul had been a persecutor, and how can a persecutor pray? If you have the spirit of hate in you, it nullifies your devotions; for prayer ought to be the flower and crown of love. Friend, if you are living an ungodly life, I do not care how regularly you bend your knee in seeming devotion, there is nothing in it.

5. Saul with all his prayers had never truly prayed, because humility was absent from his devotions. His prayer was the expression of thankfulness that Saul of Tarsus was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law blameless. In the courts above, where outward appearances are nothing, and God looketh at the heart, his pious harangues were not reckoned to be prayers at all.

II. IT IS IMPLIED THAT IT WAS A REMARKABLE THING FOR SUCH A PERSON NOW TO PRAY. "Behold, he prayeth!" It is a very difficult and marvellous thing for a man truly to pray who has been all his lifetime praying in a false way. It is a miracle of grace to bring a proud Pharisee to plead for mercy like a penitent publican. It is not half so wonderful that an irreligious man should begin to pray as that a vainglorious professor should begin to pray; because —

1. He has been a formalist for so long, and so rooted in the habit of formal devotion, and so contented with it. It is easier to attend a thousand masses, or to go to church every day in the week, than to offer one true prayer.

2. Of self-righteousness. In Christ's day, the publicans and harlots entered the kingdom before the Pharisees. It is a great thing to conquer sinful self, but it is a greater thing to overcome righteous self. The man who is downright bad and feels it, asks for mercy; but these people are bad at heart, and do not feel it: therefore they will not seek the Lord.

3. Of prejudice. He has made up his mind that he will not see the light of God, because he believes in his own light.

4. Even religious fervour may become a hindrance when that ardour is for a false faith. The earnest formalist is cased in steel, and the arrows of the gospel glance from him.

III. IT IS DIVINELY DECLARED THAT HE DID PRAY. One would have liked to have heard him. See him now! This fine, good man! How humble he is!

1. His prayers began with a full and grievous confession of sin. He offered neither excuse nor extenuation, except "I did it ignorantly, in unbelief."

2. Now you will find him acknowledging his great need — a new heart and a right spirit.

3. I think I can see mingled with that prayer the lowliest adoration. How he would worship Jesus of Nazareth as his God now that he was conquered by Him!

4. Consider what pleas he had. Pleading is the truest and strongest part of prayer. Assuredly he urged the promises, "Let the wicked forsake his way," etc., "Come, now, and let us reason together," etc. "Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God." How the fifty-third of Isaiah must have flashed in on his mind!

5. And all this must have been steeped in a wonderful fervour. Before, you might have said to yourself, "He is saying his prayers," but this time it was as when a man wrestleth for his life.

IV. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE LORD ACCEPTED MY PRAYER. I know it from the text, because —

1. God bore witness that he did pray.

2. He was about to answer the prayer. He had Ananias in readiness to go and comfort the poor blinded penitent. God is about to answer your prayer if you have cried to Him. Perhaps the man is present who will speak to you.

3. He called attention to it by a "Behold." We have heard of many marvels concerning which men cry, "Behold"; but that which strikes God most is a sinner praying. God does not say, "Behold Herod on his throne," or "Behold Caesar in his palace." Conclusion: I am afraid there are many of whom it would have to be said, "Behold, he never prays!" What a sight — a man created by his Maker, and daily fed by His bounty, who never worships Him! And yet when he does pray, God makes a wonder of it. It is his first prayer this morning. He has reached home and is kneeling by the side of that bed on which he has slept so often without prayer, and he cries, "O God, I do not know what to say, but be merciful to me a stoner, and forgive my sins." I hear the rustling wings of angels as they gather around the sacred spot. Anon they fly upward, crying, "Behold he prayeth." Years pass on, young man, and you come to middle life and are exposed to sharp temptation. Good spirits watch you. You remember that day when you first prayed; and you go upstairs, and say, "Lord, many days have passed since, and I have not ceased to cry; but now I am in special trouble. I beseech Thee, deliver me!" And angels sing and the devils mutter, "Behold, he prayeth." The young man has grown old, and has gone up to the same room for the last time. "Behold, he prayeth." Prayer, which has long been his vital breath and native air, is now "His watchword at the gates of death," etc. The shining ones gladly meet the soul that is on Jordan's bank when they hear the voice, "Behold, he prayeth."

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