1702. The Rings and the Staves

The Rings and the Staves

"And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold" (Exo_30:4-5).

The rings and the staves. The Altar of Incense was furnished with staves. The staves suggest that prayer may be offered, anywhere and everywhere. When the children of Israel journeyed, the Altar was always carried with them. They never went anywhere that the Altar was not there. In striking fulfillment of this type we read: "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting" (1Ti_2:8). If we are in the will of God, walking as He bids us, obeying His commands, we will never find ourselves in any condition where we cannot pray.

Madam Guyon, prayed in jail. She said,

"A little bird am I,

Shut in from fields of air,

Yet here I sit, and sing my song,

To Him who placed me there."

John Bunyan was shut up in Bedford prison because of his faithfulness in preaching the Gospel, but he carried the Altar of Incense with him. How prevailingly he prayed, and how graciously he wrote from behind his prison bars. His words were steeped in prayer, and made immortal. God gave them wings which carried them all over the world, to every race and tongue.

David Livingstone, far away in the heart of Africa, was found dead upon his knees, he spent his last breath in holy prayer. He carried the Altar of Incense with him among these heathen savage tribes, and today, we see the answers to prayer in thousands of missionaries, and tens of thousands of African Christians proclaiming the glorious Gospel, up and down through the Dark Continent.

The saintly missionary, Brainerd, with a weak and feeble body, prayed among the snowy woods in America until he was wet with perspiration. His prayers have been most fruitful, for they have been the inspiration of sending out some of our greatest missionaries to heathen lands.

The holy brother, Lawrence, who wrote "The Practice of the Presence of God," which has been a blessing to thousands, lived in a spirit of prayer. He prayed while he worked in the kitchen, as faithfully, as when on his knees in a church.

Some successful business men have stated seasons of prayer. They lock their office door for ten minutes, and earnestly seek God's face and grace in the midst of a busy business day.

The heroic and fearless General Gordon, leader of the "Ever Victorious Army," used to tie his handkerchief to the outside of his tent door when he went in to pray. Everyone knew that no one dare disturb him then, no matter how important his business was, for General Gordon said, "My business with the King of kings is far more important than any earthly business can be."

Thank God, for the rings and the staves of the Altar, we can pray anywhere, under every local condition, until our traveling days are done.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR