| The Hidden Life |
Chapter 9 |
Page 6 |
“Lord, we can trust thee for our holy dead;
They, underneath the shadow of they tomb,
Have entered into peace; with bended head
We thank thee for their rest, and for our lightened gloom.
But, Lord, our living! Who on stormy seas
Of sin and sorrow still are tempest-tost!
Our dead have reached their haven; but for these,—
Teach us to trust thee, Lord, for these, our loved and lost.
For these we make our passion-prayer at night;
For these we cry to thee through the long day!”
The lesson is for all as well as for parents. Through prayers is God’s ordained way of receiving blessings. God has comfort for men’s sorrows; but you and I who see our friends in their grief must reach out our hands, and bring down the comfort by our intercession.
There is a Bible story of a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. Moses was on a hill top, overlooking the conflict. While he held up his hands Israel prevailed; but when his hands grew weary and heavy, and sank down, the battle went against Israel. Our friends are in the valley in sore conflict. While our hands are lifted up in intercession they are victorious; but if we cease to pray for them, they falter and fail.
We do not know how much the blessing and saving of others depend upon our praying for them. WE do not know how often men’s failures, defeats, and falls are due to our having ceased to pray for them. We stand between God and need lives, and are bidden to give ourselves no rest, but to cry continually to him for those about us. The healing of the world is in our intercessory prayer.
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