p. 180 | PRAYER by Joseph Clarke

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · March 18, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 12

PRAYER

By Joseph Clarke

BY JOSEPH CLARKE.

In seasons of trial and danger, the worst of men often call upon God for aid and protection; but when the danger is past, they manifest no disposition to pray to him. This fact is of itself an evidence of the necessity for prayer. It is well to call upon God in times of peculiar trial; but we should not forget him when in apparent peace and prosperity; and when no clouds overcast the sky, and no thunders mutter in the distance; for if, while all around is calm and peaceful, we cast our burdens upon the Lord, if we then seek for his blessing, we shall be free from dread when the storm bursts upon us.

The great difficulty is to convince ourselves of the propriety and duty of prayer. When one is fully convinced that earnest prayer is called for, when he sees that life and all that is dear to him is at stake, he then betakes himself to earnest supplication. When a ship is tossing upon the sea at the mercy of the winds and waves, its masts and rudder gone, and the ship gradually sinking, then the hardened crew can join in fervent prayer to God.

As yet, for us the season of probation still lingers; and could we all appreciate the blessing of this precious probationary time, could we realize to even a limited degree the mental agony which those who are unprepared will experience when that time closes, we should make haste to call upon God in earnest; we should seek a preparation for that fearful time when men shall wander from sea to sea "to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." (Amos 8:12; Rev. 22:11.) The word of God teaches us that the day of decision, of final Judgment, is close upon us; that the investigative Judgment is now in session, and will soon close; and that before it closes, our characters must be perfected, if we would obtain eternal life. How necessary, then, for us to be taught of God, and to be accepted of him. To do this, we must partake of the Divine nature; and it is by close and habitual communion with God that we attain to this most privileged condition.

By prayer, our Lord obtained strength for his great conflict here; and his example should kindle in us a warmer love, a purer zeal, a more ardent courage, and should invite us to more earnest prayer. Some may say that what God wants of us is obedience and good works, and that so much prayer is not necessary; but it is only by prayer that we can attain to obedience and good works. If we would have our life and service acceptable to God, we need often to commune with him; and our motives, and the desires of our hearts, must be clean and pure in his sight.