Monday, March 21, 2016

Sweet Hour of Prayer

My favorite song is the old hymn “Sweet Hour of Prayer” by William Walford.  During these past years and trials, this hymn has not just become my favorite, but it has become who I am – my life’s statement.  Let the words of blind William Walford speak for themselves:

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

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!


Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Aren't they wonderfully, inspiring words?  I do believe that with earthly blindness, Mr. Walford was given the gift to see into the throne room of Grace!  Often, when I'm preparing to pray, I like to imagine what the first verse talks about.  I see a strong but grandfatherly figure on a large throne.  He sees small me peeking in from the door, and calls for me to come before Him.  Then, He not only calls me forward, but allows small me to sit up by Him or even in His lap to hold and comfort me like His child as I make all my wants and wishes known.  That is where my soul finds relief...in His all knowing, grace filled, unconditionally loving arms.  Often the vision is so real and comforting that it brings me to joy filled tears.

So often then we as Christians want to jump to the last verse.  "Come quickly Lord Jesus!" we so frequently say.  That day will come soon enough, and personally, if I look at my own job performance as a Christian, it is coming too soon!  I still have much work to do for the Father!  So with that, for now, we need to stay tuned into what verse 2 tells us.  He is trying to engage our waiting souls to bless us.  That word "engage" is an interesting word choice...it is interactive.  Just like a wedding proposal, the groom desires the bride's engagement.  She has a choice, though.  She can accept or decline.  It is the same with us and God.  We can accept His offer of eternal life with Him and His blessings or decline them.  It is our choice.

Also, in that second verse is that word again, twice, that we don't like to hear - wait.  The more trails I face in my life, though, the more I'm convinced that is the key to a deep relationship with Christ.  Wait.  So many verses touch on that...we'll take a look there in a different post.  So wait.  I'll wait for you, sweet hour of prayer.  We should wait and long for our daily time with God because it is truly so sweet.

Here is my simple attempt of sharing worship with you.  Hope it is a blessing.  Listen to the words, not the quality of my voice.