The yearly recurrence of a day of humiliation and prayer appointed by the Synod should not make us blind to the importance and weightiness of the duty. What becomes habitual with us often tends to become formal. In religious duties nothing can be more soul-withering and God-provoking than formality. A mere outward form may satisfy us but it will not profit us; nor will it satisfy the living and true God.
Israel in days of backsliding, where she had not altogether departed from the worship of Jehovah fell into the sin of formal worship. They kept their fasts and were not slow to ask of God, “Wherefore have we fasted . . . and Thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge?” (Is. 58:3). They made their voice to be heard on high; they bowed down their head as a bulrush and spread sackcloth and ashes under them. Why, then, was the Lord taking no notice? The reason is clear. The Lord knew their hypocrisy. Their fast was a mockery. They gave lip-service to the God of heaven but were not ready to put away their sins. They wished God to show mercy to them and yet they would not show compassion to their fellow-men. The Lord in contending with them showed them where they came short. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? — to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh.” (Is 58:6,7).
In view of a coming day of humiliation and prayer to be held throughout the congregations of the Church on Wednesday, 16th October (D.V.) — a day set apart for the confession of the present low state of true religion, and to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to revive His own people and to convert sinners to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ — do we not need to remind ourselves of the absolute necessity of engaging seriously and
solemnly in the duties belonging to such a day? It is evident that Daniel in his day so acted when he confessed the sin of the children of Israel, as we read in the 9th chapter of his prophecy. So, too, Ezra in his own day, as we find in the 9th chapter of Ezra. Have we any less need of sincerely confessing our sin to God?
What then, will make us engage seriously and solemnly in these duties? First of all, our minds must be suitably impressed with the glory and holiness of the God of eternity. Low views of the Almighty not only rob God of His glory, but leave us unsolemnised in His Presence. Trifling views of the majesty and glory of God unfit us for the duties of a day of humiliation and prayer. Second, we must be in no doubt as to the awfulness of sin — and particularly of our own sin and guilt. If we are not conscious of the evil of sin and do not have a realisation of the guilt of sin lying upon our own conscience and upon our land, and of our exposedness to the wrath and curse of God on account of it, how can we humble ourselves in the dust before the Majesty of heaven? Third, we must entertain the hope that our sins may be pardoned. It is only because God is a sin-pardoning God that we may come to His footstool to plead for mercy in Christ’s Name. While we have to say on the one hand, “If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? yet on the other hand we can say, “But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.”
May the coming day of humiliation and prayer be a fast indeed — a fast such as the Lord has chosen — a day of turning from sin; a day of showing mercy as we expect to receive mercy; a day of true humbling before God, being inwardly abased before the Most High; a day of looking to and pleading with the Lord saying: “Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” (Hosea 14:2). May it prove through God’s grace and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the congregations of the Church such a day of humiliation and prayer as will bring forth the response from the Throne of God: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” None shall then have any regret that a fast was kept to the Lord.
Sacrament days in Scotland have been solemn and sealing days, yea, days of heaven to many; at such occasions many have had their trysts, and Bethel meetings with God, which they will never forget. John Willison.