Having a conversation isn’t necessarily all that powerful, unless the person with whom you are speaking is the Lord of the Universe. It sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity to speak to a supreme being who is all powerful, but Christians can do it all day long. God can’t wait to hear your petitions. While the only reason God listens to you is because you pray in Jesus’ name, that doesn’t mean that you have to end every prayer, “in Jesus’ name I pray.” It is by faith in Jesus that God hears your prayers, forgives your sins, secures for you a place in heaven, and yes, hears your prayer.
Even though this might be true I think all of us have at sometime bargained with God. “If you let me get out of this chair with no cavities, I promise that I’ll floss everyday for the rest of the my life.” The problem with that is we don’t have any bargaining power. God doesn’t need us. There is nothing that we can offer him of any value. It is a wonder that God cares for us at all! The truth is that God does hear our prayers. The truth is that God answers every prayer for our good according to his will. He loves us not because we are lovable, but because of his great mercy.
The next time you find yourself in the need of prayer, don’t tell God that you’ll spend every Friday night for the rest of college studying if he will just let you make it through that horrid midterm exam. Treat God like the deity his is with your worship, praise, and thanks. The only one who was worthy of God’s time was Jesus. Jesus died in your place so that you could live forever. If Jesus thinks that highly of you, wouldn’t you like to talk to him? Go to him in prayer, right now!
Lord Jesus, you are more ready to listen than I am to pray. When I have a busy day, you are the first person I need to talk to, but for some reason you slip down my list of priorities. Use whatever means necessary to reorder my life that I always keep you first. Lead me into your Word that my faith might grow. It is in your holy name that I pray. Amen.
To learn more about prayer, watch this week’s study from our series By Grace Alone.
Please click HERE to view the Bible class slides.