One of the worst Christian cliches is "I'll pray for you!" I am convinced that most of the time this is a cop-out that is seldom followed through. Now maybe I am being too tough on Christians today, but I really wonder how many of us really are prayer warriors. How often do we spend quality time in adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication? Or do we just get to busy and prayer is just too easy to skip, unless we have very serious needs. If today's hymn was written today, maybe a more realistic title might be "Sweet Minute of Prayer." But no matter how we are committed to a prayer life that doesn't detract from the fact that prayer is vital. It is communicating with God and that is necessary for our spiritual maturity. William Walford of Coleshill, England was a woodcarver by trade and the owner of a small trinket shop. He was also a devout Christian and often the guest preacher in the churches around the area where he lived. One day, in 1842, the Reverend Thomas Salmon, a congregational minister, made his customary call at the shop of his friend. On this occasion, instead of showing the minister his beautiful collection of hand carved ornaments, Walford asked Mr. Salmon to write down the words of a poem he had just completed, because Walford was blind. Three years later the Reverend Salmon was in New York city and, while there, took the old woodcarver's poem along to the editor of the New York Observer, As a result, Sweet Hour Of Prayer appeared in the issue for September 1845. Nothing happened for another fourteen years. Then the famous composer, William Bradbury, set the poem to music and turned it into one of the most famous hymns of all time. Lifted on the wings of Bradbury's beautiful melody the words soon sped around the globe and in a short time were being sung by millions. Though physically blind, Walford certainly wasn't spiritually blind. The eyes of his soul could see perfectly clearly. It took a rate insight to write such a meaningful and blessed sacred song as this.
(1) Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father's throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter's snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
(2) Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
(3) Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
(4) Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah's lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I'll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout, while passing through the air,
"Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!"
Listen to it here. LISTEN
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