The heart of prayer is "Thy will, not mine, be done." I have only scratched the surface of what this means in my own prayer life, but deeply believe it to be true. Rev. Tilden, in today's Leaflet equates prayer with trust; a radical trust that emerges with "the dawning of a higher life.""THE LAST PRAYER (Scripture Readings)
LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me. . . .
also in me. . . .
I go to prepare a place for you.
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These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. . . .
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . . .
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. . . .
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. . . .
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. . . .
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. . . .
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John xlv. xvii.
WORDS that never grow old! Springs of comfort that never fail! The troubled heart pants for the comfort they give. His spirit breathes upon the heart.
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All who have felt the dawning of a higher life in their souls know what Prayer is. Prayer rises into trust; so prayer and trust are one. When first we long for the Christian life, how natural the cry, Father, help me. When sorrow for sin is waked, Father, forgive me. When great joy comes making the heart glad, Our Father, I thank thee! Prayer opens the door of that angel ministry at Gethsemane, and it lets angels of comfort into sorrowing hearts still. Gethsemane might lower and Calvary rear its cross before Jesus, but the will of his Father was his will. The Christ-spirit qualifies all its asking with, "Thy will, not mine, be done." Prayer is the child clasping his Father's hand, looking into his Father's face, warming himself in his Father's smile, asking nothing but to be closer, closer, closer to Him."
All who have felt the dawning of a higher life in their souls know what Prayer is. Prayer rises into trust; so prayer and trust are one. When first we long for the Christian life, how natural the cry, Father, help me. When sorrow for sin is waked, Father, forgive me. When great joy comes making the heart glad, Our Father, I thank thee! Prayer opens the door of that angel ministry at Gethsemane, and it lets angels of comfort into sorrowing hearts still. Gethsemane might lower and Calvary rear its cross before Jesus, but the will of his Father was his will. The Christ-spirit qualifies all its asking with, "Thy will, not mine, be done." Prayer is the child clasping his Father's hand, looking into his Father's face, warming himself in his Father's smile, asking nothing but to be closer, closer, closer to Him."
May angels of comfort be with you. Blessings
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