The Lord laid it on me recently to read -- re-read -- the book written by his three co-partners, "Praying Hyde". The portions were written in the early 1900s, and the book is considered a prayer classic.
John Hyde was born in Carthage, Illinois, in 1865. His dad was a Presbyterian pastor. Then, after collage, in 1892, John went to India. And, except for very few times when going to other countries to rest and intercede or preach and teach at revivals, he remained only in India. He died in Massachusetts at his sister's, forced to return to the States because of an extremely serious heart problem. He arrived shortly before his death.
His main God-job, from 1892 until his death in 1912, was intercession.
However, in the book a paragraph struck me. Hard.
This was written about him by a prayer companion:
We feared his poor weak body would sink under the strain, but how marvelously he was sustained all the time! At times that agony was dumb [i.e. quiet], at times it was his crying out for the millions perishing before our eyes; yet it was always lit up with hope. Hope in the love of God --- Hope in the God of love.
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Part of my spirit is heavily involved in intercession ... but rarely is my body in the "closet" that is so needed and necessary for prayer. Mine is often [too often??] a walking, driving, looking-in-faces, watching-the-world-overview phase of life. And, the only description of John that fits me, is heart pounding, stomach wrenching, spirit crying, body trembling -- aspects just like his life. He, however, sometimes saw the face of our Lord, the angels surrounding circumstances, seeing the heavenly eternal world which encouraged him to keep on keeping on.
Crying for days, travailing for India and the world --- and, then, seeing godly consequences, he would rejoice.
What a blessing that would be today. For me. For many others.
Oh, and John's last words at death:
"Shout the Victory of Jesus!"
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AMEN and AMEN!!
5 comments:
Thank you for sharing about Praying Hyde. Deep Intercession is stressful, but when the Holy Spirit comes along side to weep with us, He lifts us up on eagles wings.
How blessed people are to have you praying for them.
I, too, read Praying Hyde so many years ago. It changed my prayer life.
So blessed that you shared this book. I hope others will read it.
I am thankful for intercessors and right now as we await news of a possible life changing move, I am praying and thankful others are as well! Where would we be without prayer. Some of us pray int he closet, but some of pray as we go about our busyness. Both are still heard by the Father who hears our cry.
Shout the victory of Jesus! Wow. What a legacy and lesson for us. That's the kind of life that makes me shake my head at my shallow one...
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