UNDER THE FIGTREE.

In the beginning of his ministry Christ called to Philip to follow him.

Upon being called Philip went in search of Nathanael to tell him that he

(Philip) had found the Christ. Nathanael was somewhat doubtful, but at

Philip's invitation he went to see. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming, he

said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael,

wondering how this man happened to know him, asked, "Whence knowest thou
br /> me?" Jesus answered, "When thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee." John

1:48.



It is evident that something had occurred with Nathanael under the fig

-tree outside the common details of every-day life. If there had not

something rather unusual or something higher than the common events of

life occurred there, the Savior would not have mentioned this one

particular place. Any other place would have done as well. There was in

this answer something that was highly significant to Nathanael. At this

time there were many devout people looking for the "consolation of

Israel." They were looking for the coming of the King of the Jews. It is

not difficult for me to believe that Nathanael was under the fig-tree

praying to God for the speedy coming of the Messiah. When Jesus said to

him, "When thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee," Nathanael

immediately replied, "Thou art the King of Israel." He was doubtless under

the tree in prayer to this end not once only, but very probably for months

and maybe for years. He had been praying for this very thing. He had

selected one especial fig-tree as a place for prayer. It was not a

fig-tree, but the fig-tree. There he had prayed long and often for

Israel's King to come. So when Jesus said, "When thou wast under the fig

-tree, I saw thee," he knew at once that his oft-repeated prayers were

answered, and therefore said, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art

the King of Israel."



Many a devout one since that day has had his secret communion-place with

God. Perhaps it was in the woods on a mossy knoll, under an oak, on a

grassy spot on the bank of a stream, or under a shade-tree that grew by

the brook in the meadow. To these places of solemn silence they would

retreat when the shades of night were falling or when the light of the

morning was streaking the sky, and there from the fulness of their souls

they would pour out their praise and thanksgiving to God. These were the

dearest places in the world to them. It may be there are aged ones today

who had such places in the earlier days of their lives. Though they are

now far removed from those scenes, these are still sacred in their memory.



There are those today who have their altars of prayer in some secluded

place. There they meet God and tell him all their sorrows and cares, there

they recount to him his loving kindness, there they implore his grace to

sustain them through all their trying scenes of life, and there they

worship at his feet. Bless his name! Beloved, have you a "fig-tree"? and

are you often found under it? Have you a quiet nook somewhere which is

hallowed by the presence of God?



The beloved disciple John, when in the Spirit, saw golden vials in the

hands of the worshipers of the Lamb around the throne. These golden vials,

he says, were "full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev.

5: 8). Are you, dear reader, every day filling golden vials around God's

throne with the sweet odor of prayer? Again, this disciple, when the

seventh seal was opened, saw seven angels standing before God with seven

trumpets. Then came another angel, with a golden censer. To him was given

incense, which he offered with the prayers of saints upon the golden

altar, and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of saints

ascended before God. (See Rev. 8:3, 4.) We have the privilege of mingling

our prayers with the incense that is being offered before the throne.



The Psalmist seemed to comprehend something of the nature of prayer when

he said, "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, and the

lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." Psa. 141:2. The prayers

that were offered by the devout Cornelius were so fragrant before God that

they were kept as a memorial of him. A memorial is something kept in

remembrance of any one. If you want to be kept in remembrance before God,

see that your prayers are highly impregnated with a sweet odor. You must

pray or die. No one can retain spiritual life any great length of time

without prayer. So we exhort you to a life of prayer.