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Clearing the King's Highway

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 17, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 46.

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Clearing the King's Highway

By Editor

Editorial

Clearing the King's Highway

Another week of prayer, another special season of seeking God! What will this occasion accomplish for the church in this year 1910? Will the Israel of God be strengthened and purified, and the blessed cause of truth they represent advanced? Or will there come a spirit of retrogression? This question is for each believer to answer.
This occasion may be made one of spiritual strength and power to all who will resolutely set their faces Zionward, and humble their hearts to seek God. To those who fail to do this, the opposite will inevitably result.
What is the primary purpose of this occasion? Those who see in it only a round of service for the week, a concert of formal prayer and supplication, with a collection for missions at the close, fail to comprehend its significance.
The purpose of the week of prayer is to bring about a closer relationship between God and his children. It is a time when God is especially invited into the heart and home and assembly, when he is recognized as the honored Guest, whose presence, in a larger measure than ever before, is eagerly welcomed by the disciple. It is the time for heart searching, for putting away sin, for clearing away the rubbish from the door of the heart, so the Holy Spirit may come in in rich and full measure. It is the time for removing out of the highway the stones of stumbling, the sins and wrongs, over which the weaker might fall, and, falling, never rise again. It is the time to labor for the unconverted, for the discouraged and back-slidden. It is, in short, the time when every heart and every home and every church, by removal of sin and consecration of life, will open the way for the gracious inflowing of the Holy Spirit.
Will the week of prayer accomplish this in your life? Will it accomplish this in your home? Will it accomplish this in your church? You who read these lines, in a large measure, will determine the answer to each one of these questions. It is a personal work. There will be a spirit-filled church in just the proportion that there is a spirit-filled membership; and O, it is this spirit filling that we need as a people to-day! We do not need a new gospel, but a new application of the old; we do not need a new interpretation of scripture, but a revival of simple faith in the first principles.
The church to-day needs a new consecration of heart and life and possessions to the service of the Master. Too greatly is the spirit of worldliness prevailing among us; too largely has the spirit of worldly commercialism taken possession of the hearts of men. Too many of our brethren, yea, and of our own workers also, have permitted the spirit of speculation and worldly business to come in and sap spiritual energy. The result has been leanness of soul to individuals, and a lessening of spiritual power in the church of God.
To-day the call of God is for the return of his people. He bids them seek for the old ways of consecration and faith and humble service. God calls the sinners in Zion to repent, to humble themselves under his mighty hand. He calls upon the discouraged and back-slidden to renew their vows of consecration, and take hold of his strength. Clear the King's highway, that he may enter in. The weak he will make strong, the blind he will cause to see, the defiled he will cleanse by his grace. This is the time of his power; he is waiting to be gracious, but he can not pour out that power on the impure in heart, upon the world-loving, upon the time-serving. He will give it only to those whose hearts are perfect toward him, whose minds are resolutely set to do his bidding.
Who to-day will make a covenant with God? Who in this season of prayer, will give himself and his all with new consecration to the service of his King? Those who do, those who, with a new meaning in their consecration, enter into a deeper and fuller covenantship with their Master, will receive in the days to come of his Spirit filling. Let those whom God has especially called to his work set an example in this work of humiliation; let ministers and church officers be examples to the flock. Let there be much prayer, in the church service, at the family altar, and especially when alone with God. He will be found of every sincere seeker.
When this spirit of earnestness takes possession of God's people, we shall see of his mighty movings. Workers will go forth with their faces lighted up with his glory, to proclaim the gospel of his soon coming. There will shine forth from every face the light of heaven, and from every life will go out an influence which will tell mightily for God and his truth. All may be among this number; all may have a part in this refreshing.
When this experience is reached, there will be no lack of men for needy fields. There will be no lack of means to carry forward the work. Every heart will respond, “Here am I; send me.” Every dollar of which God has made us stewards will be devoted to his service, to be used as his providence shall indicate; so that instead of the mission offering being considered the object for which the occasion is appointed, it will be only a blessed expression of a new consecration to God and to his service. What will be the fruit of the week of prayer in your life, your home, your church?
F. M. W.