The Blessing of Prayer (1)

The month of November had arrived. The trees, which but a short while ago were arrayed in their splendid autumn dress, were now bare and the chilly winds whistled through the branches.

In the village of Alden stood a beautiful mansion. A well-to-do family lived there, but with the arrival of the wintry season they made ready to move to the city where they could indulge in worldly pleasures during the grey months.

In winter, different tradesmen would come to do repair work while an old gardener had the responsibility for the whole place. He lived with his wife in a small and tidy house on the premises.

Also in the life of the gardener and his wife the winter season brought a change, although it was in an altogether different manner than his employer enjoyed.

The winter season was a pleasant time for them. Then God’s people would come together in the small home for prayer, singing and edifying conversation. It often happened that some of their friends came to stay with them for a few days.

The “family” left for the city and the gardener and his wife were looking forward to the pleasant Sunday evening they would enjoy.

One day, later in the month, two young men from a neighboring town arrived at the gate of the mansion. It was still early in the morning and they had their painting equipment with them.

“Oh!” the gardener understood, “the young men have come to repaint some of the rooms of the mansion!”

They were two happy, lively boys, and their motto seemed to be: “Enjoy life while you can!” They were singing from morning until night while they were working. However, it was not to the honor of God, but only to vent the vanity of their youthful hearts.

And what else could you expect? A person whose heart hasn’t been renewed by the Holy Spirit enjoys the things of this life. And youth is the time in which the vanities of this life are pursued most intensely.

No, they did not think of the word of Scripture which says: “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment” (Eccl. 11:9). Of the judgment of the Judge who judges righteously and before whom they would have to appear one day to give account, they did not think. This became abundantly clear when noontime arrived. When the November sun had reached its highest point and the clock of the large home struck twelve, the work was interrupted for a while in order to give rest to the body and to strengthen it with the bread which the boys had brought for lunch. But even while using the food, the Creator and Giver of all good things was not remembered. The bread was eaten without prayer just like the animals do.

This first lunch, however, did not go unnoticed by the gardener’s wife. Sitting in front of her window, she could look right into the room the painters were redecorating and where they were now having their lunch.

“Oh, those boys!” she thought. “They are in the springtime of their lives and spend their best strength in the service of Satan and are estranged from the living God, their Creator! Oh, that they might learn to seek that God who made them, in uprightness of heart!”

She went on with her work, but her thoughts wandered to these two young men. “Am I being faithful to my God if I let them go on in the way of destruction without warning them?” she thought. “Is it not my calling to point them to that which is so necessary for eternity, namely, the new birth and the renewing of the heart? Don’t I have an opportunity now and don’t I have to “sow beside all waters?” (Isa. 32:20).

Suddenly she perceived in what manner she couid find an opportunity to direct the painters to the only way of salvation.

She waited till the next lunch hour and then she approached them. “Well, young men,” she said, “it seems as though you are eating your bread without a hot drink. Come along with me and in my house it is warm and I will gladly make you some coffee.” Doesn’t the apostle James say that we may not send the poor away with the words: “Go and be warm”?

They gladly accepted the invitation. As soon as the steaming coffee was poured for them, the painters wanted to start eating without prayer, as was their custom. The gardener’s wife, however, said, “Men, yesterday I noticed that you did not ask for a blessing for the good gifts that God gave you, neither did you acknowledge Him as the Giver of all good things. You probably never do that, not even when you are in your own home. Therefore, I will now ask for a blessing for you and with you.”

She did not wait for an answer and prayed in touching and simple language to the Lord. She especially prayed for the conversion of the two painters. During the meal she told how much blessedness there is to be enjoyed in the service of God in contrast with the wretchedness of the service of the world.

What the painters were thinking during all this we do not know, but the expression on their faces showed that they were not enjoying this kind of talk at all, much less the prayer. But in spite of this the woman closed the meal with a prayer of thanksgiving.

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