I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Monday morning, April 1st, 2024, and this is your friend Angus Buchan with a thought for today. 

We start in the Book of James 5:16: 

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” 

Today, we are going to speak about the power of effective, fervent prayer. When Dr David Livingstone first began his ministry in Africa, some native tribes opposed him. One tribe said they were going to kill him and everyone in his party, one afternoon. As they were setting up camp, David Livingstone heard that the warriors had been tracking him all day long, and they were outside the camp, and they were going to attack and kill everyone when it got dark. On the night of 14th January 1856, David Livingstone wrote in his journal, “It was in the evening, I feel much turmoil and fear in the prospect of having all my plans knocked on the head.” Those who studied his handwriting said you could even see the fear in the way in which he wrote his journal. He went on, “…but Jesus said, “All power is given to Me in Heaven and on Earth and lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth.” Livingstone wrote, ”Now, this is the word of a Gentleman, of most strict and sacred honour. So that is the end of my fear. I feel quiet and calm now.” By this point in his journal, the writing has become firm and no longer betrays any fear.

They did not attack that night, and later, the tribe was brought to faith in Christ. David Livingstone asked the chief of the tribe, ”Do you remember the night that you were tracking down my party?”

“Yes,” the chief replied. 

“We had heard rumours that you were going to attack us,” Livingstone said, “that night.”  

The chief said, “We were ready to attack to attack the camp that night and to kill you and everyone else.”

“Why didn’t you attack?” David Livingstone asked the chief.  

The chief said, “When we got close to the camp, we saw 47 warriors surrounding your camp with swords in their hands.”

David Livingstone was baffled. They hadn’t had any guards, nor even any warriors. Later on, when he was on leave in Scotland, he shared this story with the church that was supporting him. A man came up to him after the meeting with his journal and showed David Livingstone that he had written down on 14th January 1856 - it was the night that Livingstone was going to be attacked, that he had had a prayer meeting with a group of men, “and they came and prayed for your protection.” He had written it down. There were 47 men praying that night! 

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day,
Goodbye.