He was one of the world’s most precious saints; yet so few have heard his name. Though his life was short; his example would inspire many men and women who would go on to become some of the world’s greatest saints! This precious saint, will no doubt be at the front of the line on that great day of judgment; his name is David Brainard.
David Brainard
Born on April 20th, 1718, David Brainard’s one want in this life was to return to his God! He yearned day and night often agonizing over being apart of this world. David truly knew what it meant to be willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord:
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." - (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV)
Though, he loved God so and yearned to return to Him; he also counted himself unworthy of every being in the presence of God.
Prayer life
It was David’s devotion to God that would inspire so many. The most important part of his devotional life was his prayer life.
David often could not find any place to pray; so he would go out and pray in the snow! He would sit knee deep on the cold, snowy ground and pray until the sweat from his body melted the snow!
When David wasn’t praying he was ministering to the small flock of Indians that the Lord entrusted him with. Not knowing the language, David would preach through a translator. Regardless, of the fact that at times the translator would be inebriated; David would continue to preach to his flock. Relying on the intervention of Holy Spirit(our Comforter) to ensure that his message was getting through; and it was!
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." - (John 14:16-17 KJV)
David’s devotion in his prayer life or his ministry never wavered; when David needed strength he trusted “the Comforter”.
“Oh God is so good“
Though he would ride miles to preach to his flock and he would spend hours praying outside in the elements, there was one important thing about David; he was dying! David would often barely be able to stand during his sermons; he would then get on his horse, mule or donkey and ride back home to his little hut.
Some days David would find sitting unbearable but he would still pray and when he could muster enough strength to write in his journal he would say; “Oh God is so good”! When he wasn’t marveling in the majesty of our Father our God; he was writing about how ashamed he would be to be in His presence. Believing that somehow he had failed God in this life!
Eternal home
When the end of his life came David welcomed it; for he yearned to return to our God! David was both born into this world and born again on the Lord’s day( a Sunday); he hoped that he would step into his eternal home on the Lord’s day.
He didn’t, this sweet precious saint whose only want in this life was to return to his God; returned to his eternal home on a Friday; he was twenty nine years old!
The World’s Greatest Saints
David Brainard is regarded as one of the world’s most precious saints but wait! “It is not how long you live it is how you live that matters” and how David Brainard lived impacted the world for Christ! David Brainard would become the spark that would ignite the fire in some of the world’s greatest saints!
Let’s line them up
Jonathan Edwards
David was in the home of Jonathan Edwards; when he passed from this life into the next! Jonathan Edwards would go on to print what we know today as “The Life and Diary of David Brainard”; but wait!
Who was Jonathan Edwards? Jonathan Edwards was known for his role in that revival known as the “Great Awakening”. Also, he is mainly remembered for preaching that great sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” which was originally published in 1741. To this day, the events surrounding that great sermon is still known!
William Carey
Some of the world’s most precious saints; would get their hands on a copy of “The Life and Diary of David Brainard”. William Carey was one; yes, the same William Carey who believed so much in “The Great Commission” that he would leave his comfortable ministry to go to India. At a time where, going to other countries to minister was unheard of. It was in William Carey’s example that modern missions were formed! It was David Brainard’s spark that ignited William Carey’s fire!
Edward Payson
Next up, “Praying Payson of Portland”; one of America’s greatest prayer warriors! It is in David Brainard’s prayer life that Edward Payson would emulate. Those who were blessed to hear him preach could not tell if they had stepped out of time into eternity. Edward spent so much time praying; that when his body was washed for burial it was discovered that he had camel’s knees!
Robert McCheyne
Who else? Robert McCheyne( also known as “Holy McCheyne”), was known to be a holy man! Holy McCheyne spent so much time in prayer; that during the last years of his life; revival followed him everywhere he went in Scotland!
John Wesley
John Wesley, came across a copy of the diary of David Brainard during a time in his life were he was searching for a spark! He had a lot of money, he built schools, he printed Bibles, he funded orphanages, he and his brother Charles Wesley printed Methodist hymn books, he would work toward helping abolish slavery! There was no time wasted in his life! Though, John Wesley would return to his eternal home; he would leave something on this earth……. The Methodist church!
These are a few of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who are considered the world’s most precious saints. Each one, finding the spark that they needed in the life of David Brainard!
The complete list
The complete list of precious saints whose life was impacted by David Brainard will be revealed for all to see at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ!
For at the voice of the Son of God, all will rise and face the eternal judge! All of the saints of all of the ages will be there; David Brainard will be there. There we will witness the impact that he had on saints from all of the ages. David Brainard, another one of those precious saints of whom the world was not worthy.
Spark a fire
If the life of David Brainard could inspire the lives of the world’s most precious saints back then; what could his diary do for a generation of saints today! For anyone who have come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior; get a copy of “The Life and Diary of David Brainard”.
His life will spark a fire that is waiting to be ignited!
…
If you have never read “The Life and Diary of David Brainard”; order you a copy. I have attached a Amazon link below:
(This is not a sponsored post)
Comments are closed