Part 2 (2/2)

Many of the richest possibilities of prayer lie beyond valleys of pain and sorrow. The best things of life cannot be gotten save at sore cost. When we pray for more holiness, we do not know what we are asking for; at least we do not know the price we must pay to get that which we ask. Our ”Nearer, my G.o.d, to thee,” must be conditioned by, and often can come only through,

”E'en though it be a cross, That raiseth me.”

Not only are the spiritual things the best things, but many times the spiritual things can be grasped only by letting go and losing out of our hands the earthly things we would love to keep. G.o.d loves us too much to grant our prayers for comfort and relief, even when we make them, if he can do it only at spiritual loss to us. He would rather let it be hard for us to live if there is blessing in the hardness, than make it easy for us at the cost of the blessing.

There are certain singing-birds that never learn to sing until their cages are darkened. Would it be true kindness to keep these birds always in the suns.h.i.+ne? There are human hearts that never learn to sing the song of faith and peace and love, until they enter the darkness of trial. Would it be true love for these if G.o.d would hear their prayers for the removal of their pain? We dare not plead, therefore, save with utmost diffidence and submission, that G.o.d would remove the cross of suffering.

”Thou canst not tell How rich a dowry sorrow gives the soul, How firm a faith and eagle-sight of G.o.d.”

Does G.o.d answer prayers? ”I have been praying for one thing for years,” says one, ”and it has not come yet.” G.o.d has many ways of answering. Sometimes he delays that he may give a better, fuller answer. A poor woman stood at a vineyard gate, and looked over into the vineyard. ”Would you like some grapes?” asked the proprietor, who was within. ”I should be very thankful,” replied the woman. ”Then bring your basket.” Quickly the basket was brought to the gate and pa.s.sed in. The owner took it and was gone a long time among the vines, till the woman became discouraged, thinking he was not coming again.

At last he returned with the basket heaped full. ”I have made you wait a good while,” he said, ”but you know the longer you have to wait, the better grapes and the more.”

So it sometimes is in prayer. We bring our empty vessel to G.o.d and pa.s.s it over the gate of prayer to him. He seems to be delaying a long time, and sometimes faith faints with waiting. But at last he comes, and our basket is heaped full with luscious blessings. He waited long that he might bring us a better and a fuller answer. At least we are sure that no true prayer ever really goes unanswered. We have to wait for the fruits to ripen, and that takes time.

Then sometimes G.o.d delays until some work in us is finished, some preparation which is needed before the best answer can be received.

The following words are suggestive:

”Unanswered yet, the prayer your lips have pleaded In agony of heart these many years?

Does faith begin to fail? Is hope departing, And think you all in vain those falling tears?

Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer; You shall have your desire sometime, somewhere.

”Unanswered yet, though when you first presented This one pet.i.tion at the Father's throne, It seemed you could not wait the time of asking, So urgent was your heart to have it known?

Though years have pa.s.sed since then, do not despair; The Lord will answer you sometime, somewhere.

”Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted; Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done; The work began when first your prayer was uttered.

And G.o.d will finish what he has begun.

If you will keep the incense burning there, His glory you will see sometime, somewhere.

”Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered.

Her feet are firmly planted on the rock; Amid the wildest storms she stands undaunted, Nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.

She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer, And cries, It shall be done--sometime, somewhere.”

CHAPTER V.

GETTING CHRIST'S TOUCH.

”This is life--to pour out love unstinted; Good and evil, sunlike, blesseth he; Through your finite is his infinite hinted-- Children of your Father must ye be.”

--LUCY LARCOM.

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