The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 27

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

27

therefore, by praying to angels and saints we apply
to them divine attributes, and thus practice idol-
atry, and that, too, without any assurance of being
heard. Aside from the sinfulness of praying to
saints and angels, how foolish to address our prayers
to beings who, if they actually knew of our prayers,
yet must get the power and permission to help from
God! Why not bring our cause directly to God
who has commanded us to call upon Him and has
promised to hear us?

Witar Suoutp Wr Ask or Gop 1x Our Prayers?
The apostle answers, Phil. 4, 6: “In everything

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.” All our
bodily wants and all our spiritual needs we may
and shall make known unto God. ‘There is nothing
so small that we need be ashamed of asking God
for it, and nothing so great that we need be afraid
of laying it before Him.

lave we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged, —

‘Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our Refuge, —

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

But while we have the blessed privilege of carry-
ing everything to God in prayer, let us remember
that our needs and wants are of two kinds. There
are some things which are absolutely necessary for
our salvation, such as forgiveness of sin, faith,
a blessed death, and the like; then there are other
things which are very desirable, but yet not neces-
sary, indeed, under circumstances, sometimes even
harmful, and a hindrance to our salvation. This
distinction we must never lose sight of in our
prayers. When asking for blessings necessary for
salvation, we may always be sure that they tend
to God’s glory and to our own and our neighbor's
welfare, and so we need attach no condition. Con-
cerning these gifts we know that God will give
them. But as for all other blessings, we must ask
them with the condition that God would, give them
to us if they tend to His glory and our own and
our neighbor’s welfare. Being so very shortsighted,
we often ask for things which we think are pleasing
to God and good for us, and yet, were God to give
us the desire of our hearts, these expected blessings
would turn out:curses. Such being the case, let us
pray for these things as did Jesus for the removal
of the bitter cup: “Father, if Thou be willing,

remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my
will, but Thine, be done,” and as did the poor
leper, “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me
clean.” And in praying thus to our heavenly
Father let us be sure and certain that He will
always hear us, giving us what we ask for if it be
for our good, but graciously withholding from us
the fulfillment of our desires if harmful. Yes,
“this is the confidence that we have in Him, that,
if we ask anything according to THis will, He hear-
eth us,” 1 John 5, 14.

Not mine, not mine the choice

In things or great or small;

Be Thou my Guide, my Strength,

My Wisdom and my All.

F. J. i.

Oe

Christ’s Gift of Peace.

“Can I do anything for you?” said an officer
on a Southern battlefield to a wounded soldier who
lay weltering in his blood.

“Nothing. Thank you,” replied the soldier.

“Shall I fetch you a little water?”

“No; I thank you; [ am dying; there is one
favor you can do for me. In my knapsack there
you will find a Testament. Please open it to the
fourteenth chapter of John and you will find a
verse that begins with the word ‘peace.’ Please
read it to me.”

The officer got out the book and read: “Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not
as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

“Thank you, sir,” said the dying man. “T have
got that peace; I am going to that Savior; I want
nothing more.”

When the darkness of night covered the bloody
battlefield, the soldier had gone to his heavenly
home to enjoy forever the peace the Savior had
given him.

———- +--+

Trust God.

When God does not answer our prayers at once,
then let us remember that He often puts persever-
ance to the test, and delay does not mean denial.
Many a faithful mother’s prayers for her children
have brought down precious blessings upon them
long after the sod has grown green on her graye.
Said a simple-hearted old colored nurse to a mother
who was worrying over her sick child: “Ma’am,
you just trust God; He’s tedious, but He’s sure.”