OCR Text |
Show PRAYER. I Do you ask what is prayer? It is the i voice of the needy calling to Him who alone can relieve-them. It is the cry of the "sinful to Him who alone can pardon them. It is not eloquence but earnestness. It is not1 fine words nor flowing periods, but it is a deep sense of our guilt urging us to approach the Savior to seek pardon, help and salvation sal-vation with strong crying; it may be j with tears and groanings which cannot I be uttered." Did you ever hear a man that was starving beg for bread? That was prayer. pray-er. Did yo.ii ever hear, the agonizing cry of the, ... condemned criminal for mercy? That was prayer:' Did you ever behold the shipwrecked mariner looking look-ing w istfully to those on shore for rescue? res-cue? That was prayer. : The publican prayed when he cried, "God be. merciful to me a sinner." St. Beter. prayed when he said, "Lord save, or I perish." Blind Bartiameus prayed t " " " ii i ii i. n. . I , o when he exclaimed "Je.a ... "sEES have TZSTL ,he. ",edi "-a . ieeeie my spirit." Yet in mi it was addressed. For th? -ntdowntohishourejustVd -as upheld from sinking by the sus tainingarmof Jesus. Blind Barti" fell asleep in a calm and a forgTvW spirit. Prayer, we know, has stayed th --to6 ' " l"e neavens. it has parted he sea, opened the prison doors, hea ed the sick and raised the dead to ft again. No sooner is the spirit of sup! Plication and grace' given from on hi-h than the stubborn soul is melted, the' enhean 1S bound UP th sinne? changed into the humble saint, and offending of-fending man restored to the lost im age of hjs God. May all who read this, resolve to begin be-gin the day with prayer, for it is the golden key that unlocks heaven to pour davnw-bt'rinS UPn US' and end e day with prayer, for it is the same golden key that locks us up under I heaven a protection at. night. |