June 11, 2010
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“ALL public work must be subservient to my prayer work.” (Evan Roberts)
I mentioned last week I’ve been reading through “An Instrument of Revival: The Complete Life of Evan Roberts, 1878-1951″ (Brynmor Pierce Jones, Bridge Publishing: South Plainfield, NJ, 1995) (see my post here). Evan Roberts was used by God in the Welsh Revival of 1904-05, but afterwards suffered a breakdown after which he went into private intercessory prayer ministry for several years…
…Evan Roberts continually stressed the need to persevere: “In Luke it does not say, ‘preach and faint not’ but, ‘pray and faint not.’ It is not difficult to preach. But while you pray, you are alone in some solitary place, fighting in a prayer-battle against the powers of darkness. And you will know the secret of victor.” The idea is echoed in one of his poems:
And never faint! Oh pray, full on and fast.
Rough though the untrod way. Straight on! and last.
And never faint, though those may rave for rest.
The goal, not thee, is first. Pray one! thou blest.
And never faint! Though strain may sigh thee down.
Pray on! if thou wouldst fain have on the crown.
And never faint! The end thou mayest not view.
When bound, let nought thee bend. Press on anew.
And never faint! Thy charge to God given o’er.
Pray on! Thy tent enlarge. Enrich thy store.
And never faint! Pray on each day with care.
Strive for, till thou hast won, the answered prayer.
Evan was so taken up with the idea of vigilant watching that he prayed night and day and was known to fall asleep on his feet, then awaken a few hours later fresh and alert once more. He told Welsh friends in a special letter that he was like a bondservant who could not stop his work even on a Sabbath Day: “The warfare must go on every hour against unseen enemy hosts who are set to weaken the church forces.” Like Moses who lifted up his arms all day long over the battle, Evan had to serve the Lord who had “taken hold of my spirit.” When he was invited in 1910 to go to India he replied earnestly:I could not give up my time to India without neglecting my prayer work and feeling I am behind in my prayer service, and that possibly some victory is lost through my negligence. When the [crisis] of the church is through I shall be free for public work. ALL public work must be subservient to my prayer work.
(192-193)
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Heavenly Father, I confess I so often put public work first, rather than making it subservient to my prayer work. It is so much easier for me to teach, to speak and to write than it is for me to pray. I want to produce something. I want to have some visible result I can point to. I want to have some visible result others can point to. My ministry for You becomes more about me than more about You…and then it is really no longer ministry, is it? Forgive me, Lord. Cleanse me from my sin.
My attitude towards prayer shows how prideful and selfish I am. If I were truly Your humble servant, if You were truly my Lord, I would be willing, not only willing, but rejoicing with great joy to go into my closet and never again return to public work, if that were Your will for me. Should it not be a joy to commune with You in prayer? Is not fullness of joy to be found in Your presence? Are not pleasures forevermore at Your right hand? O, and the worse thing is that You have allowed me to begin to taste and see the joy it is to tarry at the throne of grace. Forgive Me, Lord, for seeking to find my joy in my public work for You rather than my joy in You alone in that solitary place. O, Lord, how much more brutish since I have tasted and seen…Cleanse me from my sin.
I confess how I still do not yet really comprehend the vital importance of the work of prayer. If we are to expect power and anointing in public ministry we must be seeking Your face in secret. Teach me, O Lord. Truly the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much. Truly our laboring in prayer allows the saints to stand perfect and complete in Your will. Truly the warfare must go on every hour. Truly I ought to be praying day and night. Forgive me, Lord, for not being vigilant in prayer.
Jesus Christ, You are my great High Priest. You ever live to intercede for me. How little I really understand the preciousness and treasure of prayer. Pour out on me that spirit of grace and supplications that fills You, so I might delight to linger for hours at the right hand of our Father as You do. I am part of Your holy priesthood which means not only giving out Your Word to Your people but also going to the throne of grace on their behalf.
You hung on the cross so I might enter into the Holy of Holies and yet I confess how little I do so. Forgive me, Lord. Circumcise my heart, teach me more of the joy of prayer and sweet communion with You. Yes, You have been graciously teaching me of these things, but I am slow to learn. Thank You that You are longsuffering with me.
Loving Father, I was once not Your child but You have made me Your child by grace through faith. You have given to me the glorious Spirit of adoption. Your Spirit now dwells in me and calls out from within me, “Abba, Father!” O, how I grieve Him when I do not take that time to come into Your house. I thank You and praise You for disciplining me yesterday, for taking hold of my spirit and shutting me away in my closet. O, shut me away with You whenever You will have me there. O, shut me away with You when I insist on skipping that time in the closet or short-changing it. Draw me to Your throne of grace with Your cords of love. Compel and constrain me to that altar of prayer. I am not my own. I am Yours to do with as You will. Can the clay command the Potter? O, I marvel that You have shown me the joy unspeakable in prayer, as I have sat at Your feet and tarried in prayer. Yes, my life is to be a life of continuing prayer – as Paul said, we are to pray without ceasing. However, we also must have those extended times of prayer as well. Help me not to leave that closet a moment sooner than You wish. May I not be negligent. Take hold of my spirit! I am prone to wander. As I begin to wander, turn me and I will be turned. Humble me and I will kneel. Psalm 116. I love You, Lord. Help me to love You more. Amen.
Comments (4)
I admit that my prayers aren’t much, but I love it that God has been listening all these years.
O Dear Father, How I miss those days and hours you have privileged me to share with You. In returning now more, I know that I cannot expect to take up right where I left off. There is so much I’ve missed.
Since Peggy left to be with You, I have been finding myself in the sanctuary again. Not that I knew I was going to spend time with You, but because I was calling out to You in my lostness without Peggy. We were truly one flesh…so much more a real thing than we ever imagine when we first hear those words. Now that she is with You, I am beginning to find that oneness with You to be the basis of our life together. You in me and You in her and both of us in You. I have so much to thank You for, especially Your steadfast love and gift of Yourself. Where else could I go? You alone are Eternal Life.
And now, as You work your healing grace as a balm for my heart, I don’t want to be anywhere else. How selfish I am! I want more and more of You. I want to be with You, My Dear Father. Without Your life within me, I would be miserable now that I have known You. I could not bear to be apart and not hear Your voice. I love You! Amen.
Beautiful prayer
.. It made my day
@ANVRSADDAY - Our prayers don’t have to be much at all. We only need to have the faith to come to God.
@quest4god@revelife - Amen to your prayer. God will be faithful to restore that time that’s been “eaten” (Joel 2). He knows your heart in this.
@ieatworksleep - Thank you so much. I need to keep coming back to it to remind me…