PRAYER is expressed dependence upon God, either in the heart or with the lips. The Christian should seek to be led in his requests, i.e., to pray in the Holy Ghost, and in a spirit of subjection, but yet with holy confidence. The first allusion to prayer in the Scriptures seems to be in Gen. 20:77Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. (Genesis 20:7), when God spoke to Abimelech and said Abraham should pray for him and his house; and we learn, by verse 17, that Abraham did so effectually.
Gen. 24:6363And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. (Genesis 24:63) records the fact of Isaac going into the field to meditate (pray, see margin). The first recorded prayer is that of Abraham’s servant (Eliezer) in Gen. 24:1212And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. (Genesis 24:12), &c., and it is remarkable for its simplicity and directness: moreover, it brought an immediate answer thereto. Moses’ prayers were mostly intercessory; see Num. 11:2, 21:7; Deut. 9:2020And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time. (Deuteronomy 9:20) (for Aaron), the one exception being found in Deut. 3:25, 2625I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. (Deuteronomy 3:25‑26), which was personal and was not granted.
Hannah’s prayer (1 Sam. 1:1010And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. (1 Samuel 1:10)) was remarkable for its definiteness; and she acted as we are exhorted to do in Phil. 4, and went away enjoying the peace of God. Indeed her action accorded more especially with 1 John 5:14, 1514And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14‑15), and she was not disappointed. God chose Job to pray for his friends (chap, 42:8) and accepted him. Samuel also prayed acceptably (see 1 Sam, 12:16, &c.). The prayer of Jabez in 1 Chron. 4:1010And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:10) is remarkable for its brevity and directness, and was granted.
Jacob’s two prayers in Gen. 32:9-12, 24-299And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. (Genesis 32:9‑12)
24And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. (Genesis 32:24‑29), are remarkable for their pointedness, and were both answered. Other notable examples might be given connected with the histories of David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Ezra, and Nehemiah, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah (2 Chron. 32:2020And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. (2 Chronicles 32:20) to 22), Jeremiah, Jonah, and Daniel.
Much is said in the New Testament about prayer, and many wonderful examples are to be found which it would be very profitable to search out. The Lord’s prayers, for instance, from His baptism (Luke 3:2121Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, (Luke 3:21)) onward to the garden (Matt. 26:3939And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39), and Luke 22:3434And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. (Luke 22:34)), with many others; Peter, in Acts 9:4040But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. (Acts 9:40); Cornelius, in Acts 10:2, 4, 312A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. (Acts 10:2)
4And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (Acts 10:4)
31And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. (Acts 10:31); Saul of Tarsus, in Acts 9:1111And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, (Acts 9:11), and 28:8. Prayer and praise (or worship) are distinct exercises, although the latter sometimes partakes partly of the character of the former.
While it is desirable to avoid formality, the question of attitude in prayer should not be lightly passed over. Attitude must of necessity accord with the circumstances of the moment; for example, one may be truly looking to God and praying when walking in the street, seated at the desk, working in the fields, or lying in bed; but, in the privacy of one’s own room, or, indeed, whenever convenient, kneeling is, undoubtedly, the proper and becoming attitude (2 Chron. 6:1313For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, (2 Chronicles 6:13); Dan. 6:1010Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. (Daniel 6:10); Luke 22:4141And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, (Luke 22:41); Acts 7:60, 9:40, 20:36, 21:5; all bear this out). In a congregation, standing appears to be a very proper attitude for men, and is justified by Scripture, as in 1 Chron. 23:3030And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even; (1 Chronicles 23:30); Mark 11:2525And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (Mark 11:25). Eliezer stood and prayed in Gen. 24:1313Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: (Genesis 24:13). Sitting in prayer is not so much as mentioned; and, therefore, not even contemplated in a congregation. Does it not savor of irreverence? If a petition were being presented to the king, everyone would either stand or kneel. Should we show less deference to the King of kings because He has been pleased to act in such wondrous grace and make us His children? No one would presume to sit, much less to loll about, when taking part in making petition to Edward VII. Let us weigh these things.
It is of all importance that those taking part in a prayer meeting, viz., when acting as the mouthpiece of others, that they should speak audibly and distinctly. They should therefore stand or kneel in such a position as, if possible, to face the others, so that there might be nothing to obstruct, and that all might hear without effort, and thus be enabled to say Amen, which otherwise they could not do. Furthermore, it should be remembered that some people are afflicted with deafness, in various degrees, and we are exhorted to “consider one another” (Eccles. 5:22Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2); Matt. 6:7, 8, 7:7, 8; Phil. 4:6, 76Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6‑7); Jas. 5:17, 1817Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:17‑18)).
G. R. W.
Whilst cordially agreeing with the writer as to the need of greater reverence both in style and attitude, yet there are some who through bodily infirmity are not able to kneel; especially is this so when the prayers are long, as is unfortunately too often the case. The prayers to which our attention has been drawn in this article were all brief and to the point. We are thankful to be reminded of this point of practical detail.
―ED.