After I woke this morning, I lay there a little longer than normal, thinking about this song and the sweetness and the power of prayer. Isn't it wonderful, we don't need a ticket, have to make an appointment, get put on hold, but we have instant access to our Heavenly Father, God, The Almighty. In fact, He is waiting and wanting to hear from us. Prayer is the means which we have been gloriously given to communicate our emotions and desires with God or to fellowship with Him. I remember sharing in one of my early posts when I woke up to hearing the Dottie Rambo song, "I Just Came To Talk With You Lord". I believe The One who created us, wants us to have a relationship with Him, to commune with Him and share our inner most thoughts, feelings, fears, joys, whatever is on our minds and thoughts. Yes, He already knows, but I think He loves hearing directly from us.
I have heard people pray over the years. I have heard prayers prayed so strong and powerful that you could almost feel the ground shake as they lifted their voice to the Heavens. I have heard, the soft, humble prayers where you felt Heaven come down and God's loving arms wrap all around. I have heard prayers where the person might stumble and stammer as they make their pleas known to the Heavenly Father. When Mom died, Brother Bill called me and prayed with me over the phone while I was in the car. I had a client one time grab me by the hands in her front yard and lifted her voice in thanks and praise and asked God to meet my needs. I have had the pleasure of offering up a prayer for clients while visiting in their homes. I wonder how many times, we have left someone and they have requested prayer or we have asked for them to pray for us? Prayer is powerful and it our way to exercise our faith and touch the heart of God.
I have often referred to East Gadsden Baptist as a praying church. I don't say it lightly but I say it in earnest as I know the individual and collective prayers where heard during my sickness. But not as it just applies to me, but I have seen and experienced their prayers in the lives of others. We often hear the term "prayer warrior" today. Well, EGBC is full of "prayer warriors". I was at the mall the other day and a sales clerk was wearing a t-shirt that read "Prayer Warrior". After brief comments between us, I left her pretty sure she was!
I think I have started to ramble and I haven't even mentioned this morning's song. I knew "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" was one of the older songs we have sung so many times but I did not know the history. The story reads that it was authored in 1842 by a blind English minister, William W. Walford, and was written as a poem. It is told Mr. Walford had an amazing memory and was known to "know the entire scriptures by heart". A fellow minister, Thomas Salmon, stopped by and Mr. Walford asked him to write down the words for him. Three years later, Mr. Salmon shared the words with the editor of New York Observer and it was printed in the September 13, 1845 issue. William Bradbury, who composed music for so many beloved gospel hymns such as “Just As I Am” (Charlotte Elliott), “The Solid Rock” (Edward Mote) and “He Leadeth Me” (Joseph H. Gilmore) also wrote the music for this favorite hymn in 1861. (Now you know or at least you read what I read this morning.)
To me "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" appears to depict a time of very personal private time of prayer and communication with God Perhaps one of those times, in the early morning hours as we prepare for the day. Or maybe as we prepare for bed and we spend some quiet time communing with our Heavenly Father. But as I've been trying to write this post today, I am reminded, no matter how we pray, when we pray, isn't it good to know, "I Know He Heard My Prayer"?
I closed my post yesterday requesting prayer for my sister who underwent back surgery yesterday morning. I'm happy to report that the surgery went well and with my last report last night that though in pain she is doing good. But this morning, I would request prayers again for my precious second cousin Brittany who has had a reoccurrence of her cancer. But please pray for their entire family as her father in law (my first cousin's husband) is also experiencing a battle with cancer and the entire family is exhausted from all they have been through the past several months. So, I humbly ask, as you enter your "Sweet Hour Of Prayer" you might consider these requests. I'll be praying for all of you also.
"Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! Thy wings shall my petition bear To Him whose truth and faithfulness Engage the waiting soul to bless. And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace, I’ll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!"
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