Farewell to One of Life’s Greatest Blessings

Recently, as we were singing a hymn where I worship, I was struck by the meaning of some of the words we were singing. Has that ever happened to you?

The words that caught my attention are the final words (at least in our songbooks) of “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” They depict the transition from earth to heaven for the faithful Christian in these words:

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!”

Prayer is viewed by some as only an almost rote religious exercise. Others may view it as only a duty to be performed in order to “remain in good standing with the Father.” The cynic will view prayer as ridiculous, meaningless, and fruitless.

However, William W. Warford must have had a different idea as he wrote the words to this great hymn. In the earlier verses, he expresses a great admiration for and appreciation of the wonderful opportunity that prayer affords us as we speak with the Creator of the universe.

Consider, for example, the sentiment that this time of prayer is a place where he writes that he can “make all my wants and wishes known.”  Further, he states:

In seasons of distress and grief,

My soul has often found relief,

And oft escaped the tempter’s snare…

This “hour of prayer” is also a place where, in the words of Mr. Warford, “I’ll cast on him my every care…”

What could be better than all of this? What could be better than all of the blessings of prayer about which we read in God’s Word? What could be better than the wonderful blessings which many of us have experienced for ourselves? What would prompt somebody to shout (apparently with joy) a “farewell” to the wonderful privilege of prayer?

I’m sure that you are already way ahead of me on this. In heaven, I’ll be in the very presence of God. 

There will no longer be a need for a “…mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Jesus will no longer need to be my “…advocate with the Father…” (1 John 2:1). The Holy Spirit will no longer need to fulfill His present role as He “…intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26).

Some of us who read (and type) these words can remember the time when we were dating the person who is now our spouse. The phone calls, notes, letters, etc. were fine. The dates were even better, but there was that time when the date had to end. What we looked forward to then was the time when we could truly share life in every way.

It seems to me that this could explain why I might look forward to a time when an “hour of prayer” is no more; even if it is a “sweet hour.” Could any amount of limited time and somewhat limited access with the Father be sweeter than an unfettered access to Him and fellowship with Him for all eternity?

I need to make sure that my relationship with God is such that I can truly address Him as “Father.” If that is, indeed, true of my relationship with Him, then I can truly look forward with anticipation to the time when…

…from Mt. Pisgah’s lofty height, I view my home and take my flight…

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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn