While Jesus prayed often, few of His prayers were recorded. In two instances, at least, He prayed in connection with an important event of His life: His baptism and His transfiguration. Jesus' prayers that are recorded are very brief with the exception of what is referred to as His "Prayer of Consecration" as recorded in the 17th chapter of St. John. Although we have on record but few words of Jesus' prayers there are worlds of richness in them. They mean so much to poor undeserving sinners. It humbles me and makes me love my Saviour so very much more because His prayers are for us and for our eternal as well as our temporal welfare. "Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given me ... "And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter. . . I will not leave you comfortless. . ."

Somewhere in eternity we hear the Father say to the Son: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. We do not hear the request expressly but we do hear the prayer of Jesus. "Thine they were, and Thou gavest them me ..." We learn from this prayer that the Father possessed us before we were given to the Son. Also, that all the Father gave the Son are given eternal life.

Men burden themselves with an unwarranted responsibility. They fancy they have a responsibility to possess the world for Christ. They pray that all people everywhere, and especially the heathen, may become converted and receive eternal life. I wonder if they know that their prayers are unheard. Jesus did not pray for the whole world. "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine."

Jesus prayed for us when we were not able to pray for ourselves; that is when we were "dead in trespasses and in sins." We were just as helpless as Lazarus when he had been dead four days. Jesus prayed at Lazarus' tomb. I like to believe that He prayed at my tomb of carnal nature. If I am spiritually alive today it is not because my loved ones prayed that I live but because Jesus prayed for me. We are forgiven the great sin-debt, not because we asked to be forgiven but because Jesus prayed that it be so. "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Our sins being conferred to the person of Jesus is illustrated in the crucifixion. Roman soldiers nailed our Savior hand and foot to the cruel cross. In His pain He was mocked, in His dying thirst He was given vinegar to drink. Blood-thirsty barbarians, those soldiers were. YET--it was you and I who nailed Him there. It was you and I who mocked Him and gave Him vinegar to drink. It was you and I who imposed all the suffering Jesus sustained. Still we hear Him say: "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."

Jesus did not pray for the whole mob. But there were some in that mob whom the Father had given the Son. Jesus recognized them. He recognized you and me. A Centurion did not recognize the Savior of sinners. A little while later he was made [to] cry out of his heart, made new by the power of God. "Truly, this man was the Son of God." His sins were forgiven.

Now darkness has descended on Calvary and through the darkness we hear the Son of God cry: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" That cry of soul agony resounds down through the centuries and breaks the hearts of those for whom He prayed. It echoes back through the ages. Abram heard and felt it when the sun went down on his sacrifice and "an horror of great darkness fell upon him." David heard and sang those very words: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" Psalms 22:1.

Jesus' final prayer on the cross was one of perfect peace with God. This is our peace with God. It is perfect peace: "Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit."

The prayers of Jesus did not end on the cross. After his resurrection, as he sat to dine with his disciples, he blessed the bread as he broke it. On Mt. Olive he lifted up his hands and blessed his disciples and while he was blessing them, he ascended into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God where he ever liveth to make intercession for us. "I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter. . . even the spirit of truth " …John 14:16-17. E. B. Watts Boaz, Alabama