The Privilege
May 19, 2024
Dr. Paul Cannings
If there is anything that I battle with in my walk with the Lord, it is not praying as I go, but habitually taking time to pray alone with God. This practice was part of Jewish culture. Daniel was dedicated to prayer no matter the opposition, and Paul as well (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The woman with the unjust judge was persistent (Luke 18:1-8), and her persistence provided a great result. This act of dependence on God is a powerful demonstration of our trust in His grace and love towards us.
Prayer is such a great privilege. To go before the throne of God’s grace with Christ at the right hand of the Father is a blessing we must never take for granted. When we approach God, we must always bear in mind that He is “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10). Our prayer must fit within the will of our Father because He and He alone knows what is best for us. Even though we may not feel He understands, we must remember to be “…..of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7; NASU)
“A rather lazy student noticed that a fellow student always recited her lessons well, so he asked her, “How is it that you always say your lesson so perfectly?” She replied, “I always pray that I may say my lessons well.” “You do?” said the boy, somewhat surprised. “Well, then, I will pray, too.” However, he could not even repeat a word of his assigned lesson the next morning. Perplexed, he ran to his friend and accused her of being deceitful. “I prayed,” he said, “but I could not say a single word of my lesson.” “Perhaps,” rejoined the other, “you didn’t study hard enough!” “I didn’t study at all,” answered the boy. “I thought I didn’t have to study after praying about it.” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths Copyright © 1995, 1998 by AMG International, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission).
For example, when a child asks for something, the parent answers based on what is best for the child and the family. The more the child understands the parent, the easier the process becomes. The Lord’s Prayer ends this way; “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen’ (Matthew 6:13b). Take advantage of our access to God’s throne, but remember God knows everything and has our best interest at heart (Hebrews 4:16). There is nothing we will say that He does not know from thousands of years before we prayed, so trust Him and make prayer what you do habitually (Luke 11:9-13; 1 Thessalonians 3:10).