The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-02-18

l----sS>S'e- matter to his de-
cision. Let us kneel right down here
and ask him. will pray first, and
then you follow"
The young man could not consistent
ly refuse. He knelt with her, and at
the close of her prayer he began to
pray himself. He had not uttered
three sentences before he sprang to
his feet, saying, II see it. 1t is not
right. l will give 1t up at once"
In this case prayer was answered
Immediately, but in many cases the
answer is long delayed.
When Mr.. George Muller was in this
country a friend of mine asked him
how long he had ever prayed continu-
ously for any object. Taking a little
book from his pocket, he said, when
! was converted I was a wild boy in
college. My conversion broke friend
ship between my roommate and my
self, for he would have nothing to do
with such fanatic he said. wrote
his name In this book and promised
God that / would pray for him each
day until he was converted, or until
I died. l prayed five years with no
apparent result. Ten years went by
with no change. l continued on for
he was an unbeliever. / did not yet
give up, but prayed twenty-five years.
each day mentioning his name at the
throne of grace, and then came let
ter saying, L have found the Savior
Then" said Mr.. Muller, Il checked out
this petition as answered. In this
same book / have other names that
l have prayed for for five, ten and
fifteen years, and scores of names
against which there Is a cross, show
ing that the requests have been
granted"
Here, then, was a man who made a
business Of prayer, and who kept his
account with the Lord in a business.
like way. When he had a matter to
present to Gods attention he first
found a. promise on which to base his
appeal, always making sure, IL pos
sible, that it was according to Gods
will. Then he recorded his petition
in a book and watched and waited for
the answer. Is it any wonder that this
mans faith grew rapidly, and that
he became the most notable and pos
sibly the most successful prayer of
modern times?
We see by this illustration why
many prayers fail; they are rambling
appeals, so vague and indefinite that
even the petitioner can hardly remem-
Der what he prayed for when he rises
from his knees. Not expecting any an
swer, no record is made of them, and
no surprise is felt if the answer does
not come. And so the solemn farce
goes on year after year.
It Is said that in battle 1t takes
hundred pounds Of lead to kill a
man, because SO pounds and Is ounces
Of it is wasted in wild firing which
aims at nothing and hits no one. On
the other hand, the sharpshooter
wastes no ammunition, but picks his
man and makes every bullet tell So
IL we would pray for fewer objects
more carefully selected, and then make
record of our prayers and wtach fol
the answer, we would not waste sc
much breath, and we would obtain
more results.
Delay In answering prayer Otter
proves a great blessing to us. In some
cases it tests the strength of oul
desire, and shows us that we did moi
care very much about the objects al
all, just as a request for an education
which is soon dropped shows the par
ent that the boy was not sufficiently
in earnest to appreciate the privilege
IL he had II. In other cases delay
leads us to examine our motives, and
we find that they are purely or par
TALLY selfish, and withdraw the request
of our own accord. Possibly the delay
opens our eyes to some secret sin
and leads us to abandon it, for "If
regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD
will not hear me-"
Man is a creature Of growth, and Il
takes time and change and children
and oftentimes losses and bereave
ments and old age, to soften his hear
and show him his need Of Savior.
Consider how many influence.
wrought upon you before you yielded
how many appeals were made, how
many times the still, small voice whis
pered before you answered Yes"
Consider all this-you will not won
der that It takes time for God to an
swer prayer which involves the chang,
of q human will from disobedience I,
obedience.
| Lord, teach US how to pray.