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What Is Prayer?

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 11, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 8.

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What Is Prayer?

By G. B. THOMPSON

“PRAYER is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed; The motion of a hidden fire, That trembles in the breast.” — Montgomery.
Prayer, like holy incense, has been ascending to God since the time Adam offered his petition. Abel, the first Christian martyr, implored divine mercy as he offered, by faith, an acceptable sacrifice to the Most High. Through all the millenniums of sin holy men have interceded at the throne of God for help and guidance.
“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.” Prayer does not bring God down to man, but lifts man up to God. And he who sits on the throne of exaltation and power bids us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4: 16.
Prayer is more than mere meditation upon God. Through his Word God talks to man; through prayer man talks to God. Abraham said, “Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.” Gen. 18: 27. Blessed communion indeed!
“There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of gladness on our heads,— A place than all beside more sweet; It is the blood-bought mercy seat.
“There is a scene where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend,— Though sundered far, by faith they meet Around one common mercy seat.”
If prayer is anything to a Christian, it is everything. We can do nothing without prayer. Through prayer we lay hold of that which will enable us to do all things. “Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence.” Through this avenue we are enabled to lay hold upon all that God has. Truly, puny, destitute man should pray, and draw heavily on the bank of heaven. If the owner of a great bank should place in our hands a key to his vaults, and tell us to help ourselves to the contents, we should respond without delay.
Prayer has to do with God and heavenly sublimities. It is adoration. The Lord’s Prayer opens with the words, “Our Father which art in heaven.” Daniel began his prayer, “O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.” Dan. 9: 4.
Prayer brings us into the presence of God. To pray we must realize, so far as mortals can, the exalted position and holy character of the Being whom we are addressing, and in whose presence we are permitted to stand.
Prayer is confession. Who could stand in the presence of the holy and omnipotent God without having an awful consciousness of his own insignificance and vileness? His purity stands contrasted with our sins. Like Job we shall be led to exclaim, “Behold, I am vile;” or the seer of God, who, when he hadseen Jehovah, said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” Isa. 6: 5. Burdened with a sense of guilt and our overwhelming need, we shall petition Heaven for forgiveness, and deliverance from sin.
Prayer is thanksgiving. The psalmist continually breaks forth into words like these: “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Paul exhorts, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” By faith we accept the things God has promised, and which we have asked for, and thank him for his inestimable gifts.
“Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near.
“Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.
“Prayer is the sinner’s contrite voice Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice And cry, ‘Behold, he prays!’
“Nor prayer is made by man alone; The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus on the eternal throne, For mourners intercedes.
“O thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer thyself hath trod; Lord, teach us how to pray!” — Montgomery.
G. B. THOMPSON.