The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-03-02

met this emergency. How easily and
wisely he met it he tells us in the text,
II prayed to the God of heaven and
said unto the King"
Character Of Prayer.
1t was necessarily short prayer
and very definite prayer. lie had
no time Ia beat round the
bush" he must come To the
point at once. IL was very sudden, for
emergencies do not allow time for
preparation; but they are never too
sudden for God. We will never find
God unprcpared for our emergencies.
lie is always there before they arrive.
He says for our comfort Before they
call | will answer" The writer re-
ccivcd a telegram I'm Chicago one
morning at 9:25 which had been sent
from Pittsburgh at 0:3O the same
morning. He received IL before IL was
sent because Of the difference i'm cen
trail and eastern time. God hears our
prayers before we utter them and no
emergency can ever arise SO suddenly
that il finds God unprepared. OF what
unspeakable value If every time an
emergency arose we could have Mt
once the wisdom OF omniScicnce To
guide us? What confidence and assur-
ance we would enjoy knowing just the
right way To act and the right word to
say In all our emergencies?
Circumstances Of Prayer.
They were not conducive 10 prayer.
A banquet was in progress at "A
heather court aud Nehemiah was in
the midst as the cup bearer. The
worlds festivities are not calculated 10
arouse a prayerful spirit nor are they
suggestive OF prayer. The gniety and
laughter the jest and song, the whole
atmosphere OF amusement i'm which
Nehemiah found himself would not be
conducive To prayer. Nor did the cir.
cumstnnccs permit Of his retiring alone
and privately shutting himself away
from such surroundings. But here I'm
the midst Of the noise surrounding the
worldly world he could pray. We
sometimes think that we could pray II
We could only get alone and quiet
away from the noise and the rush Of
people. But the value OF emergency
prayer Is TO be able To have the ear Of
God and 10 hear the voice Of God in
the midst Of any circumstances. No
emergency, however suddenly 1t may
arise nor however thrOngcd the sur.
rOundlngs may be, need find us shut
out from the Lord.
Conditions Of Prayer.
First Of all, Nehemiah was n man
Of habitual prayer. lie was I'm the
habit Of taking everything to God.
When he heard the distressing news
Of the condition OF his beloved city,
he prayed. When his enemies would
stop his work, he prayed. When they
plotted and schemed against his life,
he prayed.
In the second place, Nehemiah was
in the habit Of listening TO God In his
Word. lie could remind God OF his
promises, as his prayer In the first
chapter reveals. II Is necessary 10
speak to God, IL is perhaps more nee
essary to allow God 10 speak 10 us.
lie has said "IIe that turneth away his
ear from hearing the law, even his
prayer shall be an abOminatiOn." II
We close our ears 10 him he viii close
his ears TO us. He who has Gods ears
for any sudden emergency IL the man
whose ear IS 10 the Book I'm the third
place, he was a man Of faith, as the
last two verses Of the first chupter Of
his book show. lie believed God was
what he was and would do what hc
said, and this gave him quietncss and
peace at III times. He was habitually
prepared for any emergency. Can this
be said Of usl is II not true that We
move with uncertainty and speak with +.
hcsltancy when sudden emergencies
ariset Are We not often distressed In
mind after a sudden decision has had F.
10 be made lest we have decided F.
wrongly? What confidence and assur- /
ance. what quletness and rest we
might enjoy in the face Of those emer- I.
gcncies 50 frequently met n We had /
the enjoyment Of emergency prayer. IL /
does not need any spoken words, II /.
does not depend on conducive circum- |
stances, IL does not demand an out /
ward privacy, but can be used when /
there is not time even 10 form the /
words Of the shortest prayer in the /
midst of the busiest activity or In the 4
heart Of the throngng crowd.