This story illustrates what Jesus has done for us; but, at the same time it shows what we should do for those whose souls have been carried away by Satan the great enemy, and who are in danger of perishing forever. If we feel for them, as this good nobleman felt for that lost child, it will lead us to give, not our money only, but our sympathy, and everything in our power, to bring them to Jesus, that they may be saved through him forever. And so we see how by our gifts, we may help to carry out the great command which Jesus left for his people, just before his ascension into heaven.
And then, there is one other way in which we may help to do this, and that is by—our prayers.
There is a wonderful power in prayer. It is a power which all may use, and which will reach all around the world. We see this strikingly illustrated in the case of the Syro-Phœnician woman mentioned in St. Matt. xv: 20-28. Her prayers caused the casting out of the devil from her daughter. When Jesus was on earth he said to his disciples—“All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” St. Matt. xxi: 22. This is God’s promise to you and to me and to all his people. And so when we pray for ministers and missionaries; when we pray for the conversion of the heathen, and for others who do not love and serve God, we are helping on the good work which Jesus left for his people to do when he said—“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” It would be easy enough to fill a volume with incidents which illustrate the power of prayer. But we have only room for a single illustration.
“Saved by Prayer.” Some years ago, a boy left his home in Indiana for Chicago. He was not there long before he fell into bad company, and was led astray. A friend of his father’s, who lived in the same town, happening to visit Chicago, saw that boy on the street one night drunk.
On returning home, he thought at first that he would not say anything to the father about what he had seen; but afterwards he felt that it was his duty to tell him. So meeting him one day in the crowded street of their little town, he took him aside and told him what he had seen in Chicago. It was a terrible blow to him.
On returning home that night, before going to bed, he told his wife what he had heard. They were both so much distressed that they could not sleep. They spent the greater part of the night in earnest prayer for their poor boy. Before morning the mother said, “I don’t know how it is, but God has given me faith to believe that our son will be saved and not be allowed to fill a drunkard’s grave.”
Not long after this, that boy left Chicago. He could not tell why, but an unseen power seemed to lead him to his mother’s home. On entering the house the first thing he said was: “Mother I have come home to ask you to pray for me.” She prayed with him, and for him, and he soon became a sincere and earnest Christian. Here we see the power of prayer. Let us all use this power, and we shall be helping on the preaching of the gospel in all the world, and to every creature.
And so, when we think of the ascension of Christ, let us always remember the great work that Jesus commanded his people to do; and let us try to help on that work in the four ways of which we have spoken,—by our examples—by our efforts—by our gifts—and by our prayers.
The Collect for Ascension Day is a very suitable one with which to close this subject: