The Prayer of an 80-Year-Old Woman
Revivalist D.L. Moody was on vacation in England. At one point during his sabbatical there, a local pastor prevailed on him to speak at his church the next day. Moody agreed. The afternoon following the church service, Moody wrote in his journal that this had been the deadest church service he had ever been a part of. But he had agreed to preach again that night, so he returned to the church with no expectations of any kind of movement by God.
Halfway through the evening sermon, something snapped. A brokenness came over the congregation, and dozens of people committed their lives to Christ.
The next day, as Moody was boarding a train for Ireland, a messenger delivered this note, sent from someone at the church: “Come back. Revival has broken out.” So Moody returned to the church and preached for 10 straight nights. Over 400 adults came to Christ.
Was this unexpected outbreak of revival due to the preaching of D.L. Moody? Hardly. Moody would soon learn the full truth.
An 80-year-old widow named Mary Ann Adeland had been praying for this church for three years. Specifically, she had prayed that God would somehow bring D.L. Moody to this little church in England, all the way from Chicago.
Was this great revival a result of the preaching of the great evangelist? Or was it the result of the prayers of the 80-year-old widow?
Here’s my conclusion. You can have revival without preaching. But you can never have revival without prayer. So given the choice – preaching or prayer – take prayer every time.