Pray and Watch by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Sep 24, 1903

Pray and Watch

By Editor

Editorial

_Pray_

MANY hearts have been comforted by the words of that familiar hymn:—

“What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!”

It is indeed a blessed privilege to go to our loving Father, laying at his feet burdens which are too heavy for us to bear, and to receive in our fellowship with him renewed assurance of his tender care for us, and that he will watch over us for good. One chief cause of discouragement and failure in our Christian experience is that we do not continually breathe the vital breath of spiritual communion by being instant in prayer. It is especially necessary to our success in the Christian warfare at this time that we wait upon God much in earnest prayer. The times are perilous. The enemy is making a masterly effort to deceive even those who have received the light of this message. Many voices are sounding. In daily and constant communion with the Majesty of heaven we must learn to recognize the voice of the good Shepherd who gives his life for the sheep. Nothing can take the place of this personal communion.

“Pray without ceasing.”

_Watch_

THE Master himself has urged upon us the necessity of watching in that period just before his return to this earth. “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.” We must watch for the openings of his providence, that we may be able to work in harmony with his purpose for us. We must watch for opportunities for service, that we may show forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. We must watch for the devices of the enemy, lest we be taken captive by him at his will. We must watch the signs of the times, lest we become confused as to our position and work. We must watch the movements of our Leader in order that we may keep step with him in the forward march. “Take ye heed, watch and pray.”

_Wait_

It is sometimes a most difficult thing to wait for the working out of God’s providences. We get anxious for the right to triumph speedily. We chafe at the apparent success of evil principles. The spirit takes hold of us which would call down fire upon those who set themselves against the progress of the kingdom of God in the earth. It is just possible that a careful examination into our motives and a just analysis of our purposes might show that there was mingled with our zeal for the house of God a desire for a triumph of persons rather than principles; for “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” We often need to remember that the Lord is long-suffering, “not willing that any should perish.” He waits long before he cuts off any from salvation by requiring a final decision. “The long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.” But in our time of waiting we may be sure that the right will triumph in the end. There will be no defeat and no compromise. Although “the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed,” yet, after all the power of divine love has been brought to bear upon rebellious hearts, and has been rejected, the eternal purpose will prevail, and Jesus Christ will be declared Lord “to the glory of God the Father.” “For evil doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon [and wait for] the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”

Pray, watch, wait.

_Believe_

WHILE we pray, and watch, and wait, it is also essential that we should believe. By believing we come into fellowship with the divine purpose. By believing we lay hold upon divine power, and bring divine resources into operation for the accomplishment of the divine will through human instrumentalities. Thus by believing we open the way for the triumph of the gospel, and the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth. And these principles should find a practical application in our daily life. It is in the settlement of the daily problems which confront us that we test the actual value of the Christianity which we profess. We are not really teachers of the gospel truth, although we may talk much about God and prayer and faith, unless our own lives will bear the test of the genuine principles of the divine character. “The truth of God is to regulate the life. But this it can not do if left in the outer court. An occasional Christianity, an occasional generosity, an occasional doing of good deeds, is not the Christianity that will accomplish the work for which God calls. Truth planted in the heart brings man into harmony with God.” Our personal experience is the test of the value of our efforts in behalf of the kingdom of Christ in the earth. We may wear ourselves out in the vain endeavor to push forward the work of the Lord, if our own hearts are not right with God. One might as well attempt to extinguish a fire by pouring on water with one hand and oil with the other, as to hope to build up the interests of the kingdom of God by a fleshly zeal in behalf of principles which he does not himself reveal in his daily life. It is time for us to weigh these things carefully, and to be sure that we are not

counterworking our own verbal teaching. “They say, and do not,” was the charge against the scribes and Pharisees. The faith which works can achieve much for truth and righteousness in the earth. “Continue in prayer.” “And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.” “It is good that a man should . . . quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.” “All things are possible to him that believeth.”

Pray, watch, wait, believe.

_In His Sight_

THE eye of God is ever upon his children. They are never out of his sight. To those who love God and recognize him as the rightful King in their lives, these assurances are most comforting. “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” “He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.” “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go; I will counsel thee with mine eye upon thee.” Amid the confusion which reigns in this world, and with a sense of our own inability to keep ourselves from the devices of the enemy, what a privilege it is to know that the Father’s eye is upon us, and that the Father’s heart is touched with the appeal of our helplessness even before we lift up our cry unto him. If the veil which separates us from the unseen could be lifted, we should behold a multitude of the angelic host who have been “sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” “The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Realizing the constant presence of the Lord, we should daily perform our service for him as in his sight. Loyalty to principle, earnestness in work, and faithfulness to duty distinguish those who serve as in his sight. Such was Moses, who was “faithful in all his house,” and who “endured, as seeing him who is invisible.” Such was Joseph, who said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Such should we all be who are waiting for the soon-coming day when we shall see him face to face. As we cultivate more and more the experience of living as in his sight, our fellowship with him will be more close and more blessed, our thought of him will be more sweet, and we shall be the better prepared to greet with a confiding joy him whom, having not seen, we have loved.

“Let all your lamps be bright, And trim the golden flame; Gird up your loins as in his sight; His coming thus proclaim,”