Hudson Taylor and prayer

Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

The older I get the more I am learning about the power of prayer. God continues to teach me that we need to have the faith when we pray. An example of this can be seen by Hudson Taylor’s response to the captain in the story  that follows.

Hudson Taylor was a man of great faith in God, as well as a great missionary. When he first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Very close to the shore of a cannibal island the ship was becalmed, and it was slowly drifting shore ward, unable to go about, and the inhabitants of the island were eagerly anticipating a feast. The captain came to Mr. Taylor and besought him to pray for the help of God.

"I will," said Taylor, "provided you set your sail to catch the breeze."

The captain declined to make himself a laughing stock by unfurling sails in a dead calm.

Taylor said, "I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you will prepare the sails."

And it was done. The missionary retired to his stateroom to pray. While engaged in prayer, there was a knock at his door.

"Who is there?"

The captain's voice responded, "Are you still praying for wind?"

"Yes."

"Well," said the captain, "you'd better stop praying, for we have more wind than we can well manage."

And, sure enough, when but a hundred yards from shore, a strong wind struck the sails of the boat, so that the inhabitants of the island were cheated out of their human prey.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the lesson we can learn for Hudson Taylor. Help us do our part when we pray to show our faith in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.