To be near unto God - pagina 426

Of two things one:

either the child of

God

has

this fellowship, or he longs for it, he prays for it, he waits for it all the day long (Ps. 25:5 Dutch version). In conversion it is a seeking for what

was not as yet possessed. ing back what has been apphes: knocks,

it

Afterward

it is a seekhere also it ''He that seeks, shall find; he that shall be opened unto him."

''0

The flower-bud

GOD,

lost.

MY

And

GOD."

of prayer unfolds slowly in the

soul of a child. Not that there is no certain sacred inclination to pray in the heart at a very early age. But while the bud is early set, the question is when it will blossom. For many months the young child was present when mother prayed, but had no understanding of it, and not infrequently disturbed mother's prayer by crying. But at last the moment arrives when for the first time in prayer it undergoes a peculiar sensation

Tender mother is impressed by what is holy. piety tries to confirm this impression. And before long the child kneels down when mother kneels, and when he is put to bed the first efforts are made to teach him to pray himself. Then mother folds the little hands, closes the eyes and says a simple prayer. Ten, twelve words. And the dear little one brokenly repeats them after her. Here the form is ahead of the reality. The impression of reverence and awe before the Divine Majesty is there. A young child loves that first praj^er. But the Eternal has not yet revealed himself in a clearly conscious form to the heart. and

422

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