A Special Day of Prayer by R. A. Underwood

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 19, 1911

A Special Day of Prayer

By R. A. Underwood

A RECOMMENDATION from the finance committee came before the recent meeting of the General Conference Committee Council at Washington, and was adopted, to the effect that Sabbath, January 21, should be observed as a day of fasting and prayer. The reasons given why we should engage in this special season of prayer were: First, There is a great dearth and need of sufficient Spirit-filled laborers to enter the whitened harvest-field at home and abroad; and, second, there is a need of means to sustain the increasing number of laborers.

The promise is, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Luke 11:9. Why, then, are we so negligent in prayer? Is it because we think we are “rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing”? Or is it because we have become so paralyzed with the cares and bustle of this life that we neglect to pray as we should?

“Steps to Christ,” page 108, raises this question: “Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?”

When a key is freely offered to us that puts within our grasp the boundless resources of Omnipotence, why should we not avail ourselves of such infinite power? As I pen these lines, I can not but say, “Lord, forgive me for such negligence.”

In all the history of the church and of individuals it has been prayer in the hand of faith that has won the victories. A woe is pronounced upon those who take away the key of knowledge to the things of God. Luke 11:52. Daniel and his companions found this key of knowledge through prayer (Dan. 2:16-23), and a mighty victory was the result. It was prayer that locked the mouths of the lions, and delivered Daniel when he was cast into the jaws of death. Dan. 6:10-22. It was the midnight prayers, mingled with songs of praise, that opened the prison doors and loosed the shackles from off the apostles, Paul and Silas, and set them free. Acts 16:25, 26. It was prayer and the confession of sin that brought the fulfilment of the promised descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and gave the disciples power to speak the word with boldness and success. Acts 1:5-14; 2:1; 4:29-33.

We are bidden now to ask “of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain,” with the assurance that “the power of the Holy Spirit awaits our demand and reception.” Then why not use the key in the hand of faith that will bring these promised blessings?

As a result of prayer, we see the gift of the Holy Spirit, love, and large benevolence. Acts 4:31, 32; 10:2. No wonder that Satan desires to keep God’s people from prayer. We should pray for definite things, and believe that our God will supply our need “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Let us keep the two specific objects of this season of prayer before us: First, to pray that God will raise up men and laborers to carry the gospel to all the world in the old-time spirit and power of the apostolic days; and, second, that the Holy Spirit may move upon those of means to respond to the call of God to support more laborers at home and abroad. May this day be a profitable one for us as individuals, and mark a new experience in our personal communion with our God and Saviour.

R. A. UNDERWOOD.