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There is a story in the Christian world. Its hero was
handicapped, for he had a close range fight with tubercular
monster. This man polished no literary gems (though he was
capable of it), produced no books, wrote no poems, built no
church, and founded no society. About two hundred years ago he
died. But today he lives, for from his innermost being there is
still flowing a challenge to sacrificial and sustained prayer.
This giant in the faith is, of course, David Brainerd.
John Wesley caught some heat from Brainerd and urged his brother
Charles to see that every minister in Methodism in that day read
Brainerd’s unmatched diary. Jonathan Edwards unwittingly burned
a part of Brainerd’s classic record, but the remainder still
carried fire. The Brainerd story touched Forbes Robertson of
Brighton and moved him to eloquence. Dr A.J.Gordon of Boston
read the tale, trekked to Brainerd’s grave in the snow, and
there bowed his head. From then on Gordond’s ministry was
changed. William carey of England, who was shaken after
meditating on the devotion of the Zealot, Brainerd, opened the
gospel to the orient. Henry Martyn, also of England, forsook his
loved Lydia and went to
India after the call
of God came to him through reading the life story of our hero,
David Brainerd. There in India Martyn completed the first New
Testament translation in Arabic. Bishop French and Anthony
Groves, John Wilson and George Maxwell Gordon were alike stirred
by Brainerds diary. After these facts, who can deny the profit
of “the corn of wheat” that falls to the ground and
dies? Even
now, two hundred years after Brainerd, men are still stirred and
challenged by his life.Here is my point: If one man could
influence the Christian world as this man has done, what would
an army like him do? There is no field more unexplored in
Christian experience and possibility than this limitless field
of prayer. Prayer means care for souls. Prayer means pain.
Prayer means privacy, for often the battle is waged alone.
Prayer means power. Prayer, Luther said means “sweat on the
soul” Prayer means filling in the sufferings of Christ. We
cannot shoot fire belching jet planes with sling shots nor
repulse tanks with bottles; less can we push back the powers of
darkness with mere words. Jude talks of “praying in the Holy
Ghost”. This praying alone can bring to pass the purpose of a
holy God and put to flight the army of alien powers. This
praying is no toy soldier’s game. This is realism. This is a
fight to the death-no parley with the enemy-no truce-no terms-a
fight to the death!
With some accuracy a recent writer
portrayed the present, bleak picture of the slow footed Church.
Then to relieve the shadowy story, he grabbed the truth of Joel
2:28, “Afterwards,----- I will pour out of my spirit on
all flesh,” and
hailed this truth as a picture of hope. Indeed, such it is if
not divorced from its context, for the whole chapter 2 of Joel
is the pattern as a handmaid to revival. This is a prescription
for a sick church and for a dying world. Only they who fulfill
God’s commands have a full claim on the Lord.
As I see it, believers need a new concerted effort for this
crucial hour. Far less worthy causes than this, we can dislocate
our programmes when it suits us to do. Do men pass forever from
eternal mercy? And is it true that there is no arbitration after
the judgment seat of Christ? If you give a
positive
answer, then is there anything on earth worth more than
the power of
the
Lord
moving upon
mankind? Though you cannot be the salt of the whole earth nor
the light of the whole world, you may
season your
community and lighten your neighborhood. In the saintly
Brainerd’s dying moments, he passed on to the Church God’s
secret for revival in this or any other day. Listen to the
pain-gasped word- travail, t r a v a i l , t-r-a-v-a-i-l. Lets
try it! |
