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A Time for Prayer

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 10, 1903

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 80, No. 49.

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A Time for Prayer

By R. D. Hottel

R. D. HOTTEL
This season of prayer has been appointed, as no doubt all know, for December 12-19. We have held many such seasons in the past, but this season of seeking God with prayer is more important than any previous one.
“We are standing upon the threshold of great and solemn events. The whole earth is to be lightened with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the channels of the great deep. Prophecies are being fulfilled, and stormy times are before us. . . . The angels are holding the four winds, that they shall not blow, until the specified work of warning is given to the world; but the storm is gathering, the clouds are loading, ready to burst upon the world, and to many it will be as a thief in the night.”
“Intensity is taking possession of every earthly element; and as a people who have had great light and wonderful knowledge, many of them are represented by the five sleeping virgins with their lamps, but no oil in their vessels; cold, senseless, with a feeble, waning piety.”
In these solemn hours what are we called upon to do? “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.” Zeph. 2: 1-3.
“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” Joel 2: 16, 17.
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isa. 26: 20, 21.
Shall we heed these invitations of mercy, all of which are applicable to our time?
“For the baptism of the Holy Spirit, every worker should be breathing out his prayer to God. Companies should be gathered together to call upon God for special help, for heavenly wisdom, that the people of God may know how to plan and devise and execute the work. Especially should men pray that the Lord will choose his agents, and baptize his missionaries with the Holy Spirit. For ten days the disciples prayed before the pentecostal blessing came. It required all that time to bring them to an understanding of what it meant to offer effectual prayer, drawing nearer and nearer to God, confessing their sins, humbling their hearts before God, and by faith beholding Jesus, and becoming changed into his image. When the blessing did come, it filled all the place where they were assembled; and endowed with power, they went forth to do effectual work for the Master.”
This season of prayer will give just such an opportunity as the Bible and the Testimonies point out in the statements already quoted. Shall it be a pentecostal blessing to us? If so, we must seek the Lord as did the disciples of old. Can we afford to do less? Do we have a less important message to bear to the world than they had?—No; even a more solemn warning is committed to our hands. The truth as it came from the hands of Christ and the apostles in its purity, and with apostolic power, must be sent to the whole world in this generation to enlighten the earth with the glory of God, and prepare a people for his coming.
Shorn of the strength of heaven, we cannot do the work. But God has said again to his people, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” Isa. 60: 1, 2. If we consecrate all that we are and have,—ourselves, our means, our ability,—God will use us in the glorious triumph of the message at this time. Again I say, shall not this season of prayer be the time when we shall do all this more fully than we have ever done before? We pray God that it will.