Behold, He Prayeth by T. E. BOWEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 9, 1911

“Behold, He Prayeth”

By T. E. BOWEN

T. E. BOWEN

THINGS are done by God while men pray. No time is lost in God’s work while men pray. Unless God works, nothing of any account is done; and God works in answer to prayer. While men pray and put away sin, God sets in operation somewhere, in some manner, often in a very insignificant way as men view things, a movement that results in the direct answer to their prayers. Very often the answer comes through some human instrumentality, whether this human agent recognizes it or not, that God has wrought upon specifically to bring the answer.

There is power in prayer. By it we are turned so as to catch God’s heavenly vibrations, as the receiver upon board some ship away out at sea catches the electric air waves sent out by a harmonious instrument miles distant upon the shore. It was when Moses stretched up his hands in prayer that Joshua prevailed in the valley below. It was Elijah’s simple yet fervent prayer that brought fire down from heaven, and consumed the water-soaked sacrifice on Mt. Carmel. Daniel prayed in secret over Jeremiah’s prophecy of Israel’s return from captivity. He knew the time for its fulfilment was near, but there seemed no earthly way by which this word of God could be accomplished, so Daniel besought the Lord to work it out. God heard, and sent Gabriel to move upon the hearts of the Persian king and his courtiers, but their hearts being very stubborn, Michael went to Gabriel’s assistance, and at the end of three weeks their united efforts succeeded in arranging matters for the answer to Daniel’s prayer. “Behold, he prayeth,” surely meant something to Israel’s prosperity at this time.

It was while the church was praying for Peter that a mighty angel smote him in his dungeon cell, and led him out past the guards and through the great iron gates to a familiar street in Jerusalem. The church prayed. They were in earnest. Peter was needed, and God did what they could not do.

As a people, we face tremendous propositions. Millions, in both foreign and home lands, are yet unwarned of the fast-approaching end. The Word of God tells us the message must go to the world—to the “uttermost parts of the earth.” There are barriers more formidable than the cities across the Jordan, which to ancient Israel seemed to be “walled up unto heaven.” The populous cities of the nations, and the heathen religions centuries old, are like great fortified strongholds of the enemy. Their evangelization is a proposition altogether beyond the stretch of human power. What are we to do? We can pray. We can march around these Jerichos or into them, and do what we are commanded to do; at least this much we can do. We have God to assist us, and this includes all the rest. He can shake down walls, and bring great victories to his praying servants still.

All this is a mighty call to prayer. “Behold, he prayeth.” When this can be said of God’s remnant people, we shall see wonderful results. But let us not be discouraged nor surprised if we find some conditions needing attention in our own lives. These may be revealed to us while we pray. The disciples, just before the day of Pentecost, had some things to make right among themselves. Israel found an Achan in the camp after the mighty walls of Jericho had tottered and fallen by an unseen power. So sin must be cleaned out of our hearts and lives now before we can expect to see very much done. But we shall be given the victory if God beholds us praying. Envy, backbiting, covetousness, dress display, robbing God, all will go when God can say of us, “Behold, he prayeth.” When men and women pray, there is hope. Great things can be done quickly by our God when he finds us in humble, earnest, fervent prayer. Such prayers “avail much,” we are told. So let us not forget to pray.

Takoma Park, D. C.