Petitionless Prayers
J. Hamilton, D. D. James 4:1-3 From where come wars and fights among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?… Suppose that a man takes up his pen and a piece of parchment, and writes on the top of it, "To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty.: the humble petition of So-and-So"; but there he stops. He sits with the pen in his hand for half an hour, but does not add another word, then rises and goes his way. And he repeats this process day after day — beginning a hundred sheets of paper, but putting into them no express request; sometimes, perhaps, scratching down a few sentences which nobody can read, not even himself, but never plainly and deliberately setting down what it is that he desires. Can he wonder that his blank petition and scribbled parchments have no sensible effect on himself nor on any one besides? And has he any right to say, "I wonder what can be the matter. Other people get answers to their petitions, but I am not aware that the slightest notice has ever been taken of one of mine. I am not conscious of having got a single favour, or being a whir the better for all that I have written"? Could you expect it? When did you ever finish a petition? When did you ever despatch and forward one to the feet of Majesty? And so there are many persons who pass their days inditing blank petitions — or rather petitionless forms of prayer. (J. Hamilton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? WEB: Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members?