Quiet Talks on Prayer.

by S. D. (Samuel d.i.c.key) Gordon.

Prayer the Greatest Outlet of Power

Five Outlets of Power.

A great sorrow has come into the heart of G.o.d. Let it be told only in hushed voice--one of His worlds is _a prodigal_! Hush your voice yet more--_ours_ is that prodigal world. Let your voice soften down still more--_we_ have _consented_ to the prodigal part of the story. But, in softest tones yet, He has won some of us back with His strong tender love.

And now let the voice ring out with great gladness--we won ones may be the pathway back to G.o.d for the others. That is His earnest desire. That should be our dominant ambition. For that purpose He has endowed us with peculiar power.

There is one inlet of power in the life--anybody's life--any kind of power: just one inlet--the Holy Spirit. He is power. He is in every one who opens his door to G.o.d. He eagerly enters every open door. He comes in by our invitation and consent. His presence within is the vital thing.

But with many of us while He is in, He is not in control: in as guest; not as host. That is to say He is hindered in His natural movements; tied up, so that He cannot do what He would. And so we are not conscious or only partially conscious of His presence. And others are still less so. But to yield to His mastery, to cultivate His friendship, to give Him full swing--that will result in what is called power. One inlet of power--the Holy Spirit in control.

There are five outlets of power: five avenues through which this One within shows Himself, and reveals His power.

First: through the life, what we are. Just simply what we are. If we be right the power of G.o.d will be constantly flowing out, though we be not conscious of it. It throws the keenest kind of emphasis on a man being right in his life. There will be an eager desire to serve. Yet we may constantly do more in what we are than in what we do. We may serve better in the lives we live than in the best service we ever give. The memory of that should bring rest to your spirit when a bit tired, and may be disheartened because tired.

Second: through the lips, what we say. It may be said stammeringly and falteringly. But if said your best with the desire to please the Master it will be G.o.d-blest. I have heard a man talk. And he stuttered and blushed and got his grammar badly tangled, but my heart burned as I listened. And I have heard a man talk with smooth speech, and it rolled off me as easily as it rolled out of him. Do your best, and leave the rest. If we are in touch with G.o.d His fire burns whether the tongue stammer or has good control of its powers.

Third: through our service, what we do. It may be done bunglingly and blunderingly. Your best may not be the best, but if it be your best it will bring a harvest.

Fourth: through our money, what we do not keep, but loosen out for G.o.d.

Money comes the nearest to omnipotence of anything we handle.

And, fifth: through our prayer, what we claim in Jesus' name.

And by all odds the greatest of these is the outlet through prayer. The power of a life touches just one spot, but the touch is tremendous. What is there we think to be compared with a pure, unselfish, gently strong life. Yet its power is limited to one spot where it is being lived. Power through the lips depends wholly upon the life back of the lips. Words that come brokenly are often made burning and eloquent by the life behind them.

And words that are smooth and easy, often have all their meaning sapped by the life back of them. Power through service may be great, and may be touching many spots, yet it is always less than that of a life. Power through money depends wholly upon the motive back of the money. Begrudged money, stained money, soils the treasury. That which comes nearest to omnipotence also comes nearest to impotence. But the power loosened out through prayer is as tremendous, at the least, to say no more just now, is as tremendous as the power of a true fragrant life and, mark you, _and_, may touch not one spot but wherever in the whole round world you may choose to turn it.

The greatest thing any one can do for G.o.d and for man is to pray. It is not the only thing. But it is the chief thing. A correct balancing of the possible powers one may exert puts it first. For if a man is to pray right, he must first _be_ right in his motives and life. And if a man _be_ right, and put the practice of praying in its right place, then his serving and giving and speaking will be fairly fragrant with the presence of G.o.d.

The great people of the earth to-day are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean these people who _take_ time and _pray_. They have not time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important. Very important, and pressing than prayer. There are people that put prayer first, and group the other items in life's schedule around and after prayer.

These are the people to-day who are doing the most for G.o.d; in winning souls; in solving problems; in awakening churches; in supplying both men and money for mission posts; in keeping fresh and strong these lives far off in sacrificial service on the foreign field where the thickest fighting is going on; in keeping the old earth sweet awhile longer.

It is wholly a secret service. We do not know who these people are, though sometimes shrewd guesses may be made. I often think that sometimes we pa.s.s some plain-looking woman quietly slipping out of church; gown been turned two or three times; bonnet fixed over more than once; hands that have not known much of the softening of gloves; and we hardly giver her a pa.s.sing thought, and do not know, nor guess, that perhaps _she_ is the one who is doing far more for her church, and for the world, and for G.o.d than a hundred who would claim more attention and thought, _because she prays_; truly prays as the Spirit of G.o.d inspires and guides.

Let me put it this way: G.o.d will do as a result of the praying of the humblest one here what otherwise He _would_ not do. Yes, I can make it stronger than that, and I must make it stronger, for the Book does.

Listen: G.o.d will do in answer to the prayer of the weakest one here what otherwise he _could_ not do. "Oh!" someone thinks, "you are getting that too strong now." Well, you listen to Jesus' own words in that last long quiet talk He had with the eleven men between the upper room and the olive-green. John preserves much of that talk for us. Listen: "Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that"--listen, a part of the purpose why we have been chosen--"that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He _may_ give it you."[1] Mark that word "may"; not "shall" this time but _may_. "Shall" throws the matter over on G.o.d--His purpose. "May" throws it over upon us--our cooperation. That is to say our praying makes it possible for G.o.d to do what otherwise He could not do.

And if you think into it a bit, this fits in with the true conception of prayer. In its simplest a.n.a.lysis prayer--all prayer--has, must have, two parts. First, a G.o.d to give. "Yes," you say, "certainly, a G.o.d wealthy, willing, all of that." And, just as certainly, there must be a second factor, _a man to receive_. Man's willingness is G.o.d's channel to the earth. G.o.d never crowds nor coerces. Everything G.o.d does for man and through man He does with man's consent, always. With due reverence, but very plainly, let it be said that G.o.d can do nothing for the man with shut hand and shut life. There must be an open hand and heart and life _through_ which G.o.d can give what He longs to. An open life, an open hand, open upward, is the pipe line of communication between the heart of G.o.d and this poor befooled old world. Our prayer is G.o.d's opportunity to get into the world that would shut Him out.

In touch with a planet.

Prayer opens a whole planet to a man's activities. I can as really be touching hearts for G.o.d in far away India or China through prayer, as though I were there. Not in as many ways as though there, but as truly.

Understand me, I think the highest possible _privilege_ of service is in those far off lands. There the need is greatest, the darkness densest, and the pleading call most eloquently pathetic. And if one _may_ go there--happy man!--if one be _privileged_ to go to the honoured place of service he may then use all five outlets direct in the spot where he is.

Yet this is only one spot. But his relationship is as wide as his Master's and his sympathies should be. A man may be in Africa, but if his heart be in touch with Jesus it will be burning for _a world_. Prayer puts us into direct dynamic touch with a world.

A man may go aside to-day, and shut his door, and as really spend a half-hour in India--I am thinking of my words as I say them, it seems so much to say, and yet it is true--as really spend a half hour of his life in India for G.o.d as though he were there in person. _Is_ that true? If it be true, surely you and I must get more half-hours for this secret service. Without any doubt he may turn his key and be for a bit of time as potentially in China by the power of prayer, as though there in actual bodily form. I say _potentially_ present. Of course not consciously present. But in the _power exerted upon men_ he may be truly present at the objective point of his prayer. He may give a new meaning to the printed page being read by some native down in Africa. He may give a new tongue of flame to the preacher or teacher. He may make it easier for men to accept the story of Jesus, and then to yield themselves to Jesus--yonder men swept and swayed by evil spirits, and by prejudices for generations--make it easier for them to accept the story, and, if need be, to cut with loved ones, and step out and up into a new life.

Some earnest heart enters an objection here, perhaps. You are thinking that if you were there you could influence men by your personal contact, by the living voice. So you could. And there must be the personal touch.

Would that there were many times more going for that blessed personal touch. But this is the thing to mark keenly both for those who may go, and for those who must stay: no matter where you are you do more through your praying than through your personality. If you were in India you could _add your personality to your prayer_. That would be a great thing to do. But whether there or here, you must first win the victory, every step, every life, every foot of the way, in secret, in the spirit-realm, and then add the mighty touch of your personality in service. You can do _more _ than pray, _after_ you have prayed. But you can _not_ do more than pray _until_ you have prayed. And just there is where we have all seemed to make a slip at times, and many of us are yet making it--a bad slip. We think we can do more where we are through our service: then prayer to give power to service. _No_--with the blackest underscoring of emphasis, let it be said--NO. We can do no thing of real power until we have done the prayer thing.

Here is a man by my side. I can talk to him. I can bring my personality to bear upon him, that I may win him. But before I can influence his will a jot for G.o.d, I must first have won the victory in the secret place.

Intercession is winning the victory over the chief, and service is taking the field after the chief is driven off. Such service is limited by the limitation of personality to one place. This spirit-telegraphy called prayer puts a man into direct dynamic touch with a planet.

There are some of our friends who think themselves of the practical sort who say, "the great thing is work: prayer is good, and right, but the great need is to be doing something practical." The truth is that when one understands about prayer, and puts prayer in its right place in his life, he finds a new motive power burning in his bones to be _doing_; and further he finds that it is the doing that grows out of praying that is mightiest in touching human hearts. And he finds further yet with a great joy that he may be _doing_ something for an entire world. His service becomes as broad as his Master's thought.

Intercession is Service.

It helps greatly to remember that intercession is service: the chief service of a life on G.o.d's plan. It is unlike all other forms of service, and superior to them in this: that it has fewer limitations. In all other service we are constantly limited by s.p.a.ce, bodily strength, equipment, material obstacles, difficulties involved in the peculiar differences of personality. Prayer knows no such limitations. It ignores s.p.a.ce. It may be free of expenditure of bodily strength, where rightly practiced, and one's powers are under proper control. It goes directly, by the telegraphy of spirit, into men's hearts, quietly pa.s.ses through walls, and past locks unhindered, and comes into most direct touch with the inner heart and will to be affected.

In service, as ordinarily understood, one is limited to the s.p.a.ce where his body is, the distance his voice can reach, the length of time he can keep going before he must quit to eat, or rest, or sleep. He is limited by walls, and locks, by the prejudices of men's minds, and by those peculiar differences of temperament which must be studied in laying siege to men's hearts.

The whole circle of endeavour in winning men includes such an infinite variety. There is speaking the truth to a number of persons, and to one at a time; the doing of needed kindly acts of helpfulness, supplying food, and the like; there is teaching; the almost omnipotent ministry of money; the constant contact with a pure unselfish life; letter writing; printer's ink in endless variety. All these are in G.o.d's plan for winning men. But the intensely fascinating fact to mark is this:--that the real victory in all of this service is won in secret, beforehand, by prayer, and these other indispensable things are the moving upon the works of the enemy, and claiming the victory already won. And when these things are put in their proper order, prayer first, and the other things second; _second_, I say, not omitted, not slurred over; done with all the earnestness and power of brain and hand and heart possible; but done _after_ the victory has been won in secret, against the real foe, and done _while_ the winner is still claiming the victory already a.s.sured,--then will come far greater achievements in this outer open service.

Then we go into this service with that fine spirit of expectancy that sweeps the field at the start, and steadily sticks on the stubbornly contested spots until the whipped foe turns tail, and goes. Prayer is striking the winning blow at the concealed enemy. Service is gathering up the results of that blow among the men we see and touch. Great patience and tact and persistence are needed in the service because each man must be influenced in his own will. But the shrewd strategy that wins puts the keen stiff secret fighting first.

The Spirit Switchboard.

Electricity is a strange element. It is catalogued in the study of physics. It is supposed to be properly cla.s.sed among the forces of nature.

Yet it seems to have many properties of the spirit world. Those who know most of it say they know least of what it is. Some of the laws of its being have been learned, and so its marvellous power harnessed for man's use, but in much ignorance of what it is. It seems almost to belong somewhere in between the physical and spirit realms. It furnishes many similes of graphic helpfulness in understanding more nearly much truth of the Spirit life.

In the power-house where the electricity is being wooed into man's harnessing, or generated, as the experts say, is found a switchboard, or switch-room with a number of boards. Here in a large city plant a man may go and turn a switch, that is, move a little handle, a very short distance. It is a very simple act, easily performed, involving almost no strength. But that act has loosened the power in the house back of the switchboard out along the wires, and perhaps lighted a whole section of the city. He goes in again at another hour, and turns _this_ set of switches, and _this_, and sets in motion maybe scores of cars, carrying swiftly, hundreds of pa.s.sengers. Again he goes in, and moves the little handles and sets in motion the wheels in some factory employing hundreds of operatives.

It is a secret service, usually as far as any observers are concerned. It is a very quiet, matter of fact service. But the power influenced is unmeasured and immeasurable. And no one, seemingly, thus far, can explain the mysterious but tremendous agent involved. Does the fluid--it a fluid?

or, what?--pa.s.s _through_ the wire? or, _around_ the wire? The experts say they do not know. But the laws which it obeys are known. And as men comply with them its almost omnipotence is manifested.

Just such a switch-room in the spirit realm is one's prayer-room. Every one who will may have such a spirit switching-board in his life. There he may go and in compliance with the laws of the power used loosen out the gracious persuasive irresistible power of G.o.d _where he wills to_; now in j.a.pan; now in China; among the hungry human hearts of India's plains and mountains; again in Africa which is full as near to where Jesus sits as is England or America; and now into the house across the alley from your home; and down in the slum district; and now into your preacher's heart for next Sunday's work; and now again unto the hearts of those you will be meeting in the settlement house, or the mission school.

Children are not allowed at the electrical switchboard, nor any unskilled hand. For misuse means possibility of great damage to property and life.

And the spirit switchboard does not yield to the unskilled touch. Though sometimes there seems to be much tampering by those with crude fingers, and with selfish desire to turn this current to personal advantage merely.

It takes skill here. Yet such is our winsome G.o.d's wondrous plan that skill may come to any one who is willing; simply that--who is willing; and it comes _very simply_ too.