The Privilege of Prayer 366 (3 mins)
Do you see prayer as a privilege or a right? Or both?
I was humming the song What A Friend We Have in Jesus, the words of which always have an impact.
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
I feel many people are desperate for prayer at this time. Prayer corrects so many wrongs. It removes anxiety, re-aligns us with our Saviour, refreshes us and tunes us into God's channel like nothing else.
Often we stop and consider the machinations of prayer. How do we pray? To whom do we pray? Where does our intercessor Jesus Christ fit in? Is our sense of urgency really urgent, or are we just impatient? Getting angry with God for not answering? Becoming confused in knowing how to pray when answers don't seem to come?
As we see, there are many aspects to prayer that cause us uncertainty. Sometimes we can get bogged down in all this when the Lord simply wants to hear from us. He sent His only begotten son to die so we might have the privilege of the closeness of prayer.
We must never forget two things when praying, regardless of our desperation and tears at the time. We pray to a Sovereign God, and humility and honour are always required. No shouting or screaming at God because the answer hasn't come, like, "What's wrong with you? can't you see I'm desperate?"
Why not spend some time today just praying to the Lord, not only with requests and petitions but thanksgiving and praise for Him just being there. Let the power of prayer settle your heart.
Today's prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the privilege of communicating with you in prayer. Please help me see the preciousness of this wonderful means of connecting with you.
Photo by Ava W. Burton.