Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family!

​Let me share a passage that I was reading this morning, “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:16 – NASB). What a wonderful passage, a passage that show our Savior looking for a time with His Father. Spending time with Father God was a time of refreshment for Jesus. Praying is the direct communication that we can have with our God, the same God who created the universe. If Jesus, who was God in the flesh, spent time in prayer, we must also look for this time, a precious time with our Father and receive comfort for our soul. Paul encourages us with these words, “Devote ourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).

Yes, prayer is a very powerful weapon to be used in every situation. I recall the old hymn called, “Sweet Hour of Prayer, Sweet Hour of Prayer.”

We believe that the author of this loved hymn was an uneducated blind minister named W. W. Walford (1845). Because of his blindness he memorized huge portions of the Bible so he could preach without help. The theme of the text is the joy of spending time in communion with God through prayer. I can imagine Walford listening to a relative or friend reading a passage from the scripture so he can memorize it, and perhaps before or after this time, asking the Lord for wisdom to keep His words in his memory.

Please, use these lyrics as a regular hymn if you know the melody, but if you do not know the melody, you can still use it as a devotional.  Prayer is so powerful and sweet.

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!

In His service,

Israel