Prayer by A. W. Bartlett

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 24, 1908

Prayer

By A. W. Bartlett

PRAYER is one of the greatest privileges that man can enjoy. It is like the pipe which conveys air to the diver at the bottom of the sea. If that pipe be severed, he must hopelessly perish. The Christian in this sinful world, surrounded by temptation, will quickly be overcome if he ceases to breathe the air of heaven. It is by means of prayer that he does so. Prayer bridges the space between man and the throne of God. Prayer enters the heavenly courts, and stands among the angels to plead its requests before the face of Jehovah. Prayer is the channel by which the fulness of heaven can be poured into the empty soul.

Prayer is the discipline which deepens our shallow natures. A hundred trifling interests float on the surface of our minds, lightly entertained, easily forgotten. These do not enlarge our hearts; they rather dwarf our natures to their own insignificance. But when some ray of light from heaven shines upon us, and by its light we see some blessing greatly to be desired, and when we begin to pray for that which we desire, our nature is stirred more deeply. Latent sympathies are aroused; new spiritual energies awaken within us. More and more the soul is quickened by presenting itself at the mercy-seat, and it begins to grow toward God as flowers grow toward the sun.

When we read of the holy men of old who learned to pray with strong faith, we see that the answer to their prayer was not always sent immediately. But they kept on praying, because, though the answer was not yet given, in the very act of prayer they had taken a firmer hold of heaven, and their faith was stronger to endure. They saw a deeper meaning in their own petition, and pressed it with a new sense of need, and a larger expectation from God. Thus they were led into a deeper experience, and the very delay made the answer fuller when it came. Moses and Paul, praying for their kinsmen according to the flesh, were led into deeper and deeper desire until they were willing to be themselves cut off if only those whom they agonized for might be saved. Thus their prayer wrought in themselves a fitness to be the agents of its fulfilment, which was the best possible answer to their petition.—A. W. Bartlett.