The Amazing Privilege of Prayer

We pray before meals, my parents pray with me and my sis before bed, we pray in church on Sunday. (Some would say that we pray a bit too much in church on Sunday.) How many of us limit our prayers to these times? Do we convene with God only when necessary, or because bedtime prayers are a tradition that is hard to break? Often we take the privilege of prayer for granted. Ok, not often, for me it's all the time, and I pray constantly. The Lord is my dearest friend, I seek His advice and companionship at all times throughout the day. All too often I find myself forgetting the great miracle that prayer is.

In Old Testament days prayer didn't really exist. Common man was not afforded the privilege of coming freely into the presence of God, let alone speaking with him. Only one man was afforded that privilege, the High Priest. Not once a week, not even once a month, but once a year the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. Once a year! If I had to wait a whole year before I could talk to my Saviour and Best Friend again I might die!

Because of the atoning work of Jesus Christ I am able to freely come before the throne of grace at any time, with any concern, with any request. What an awesome privilege! The Almighty maker of Heaven and earth, the Creator of galaxies light years in length allows me to come before Him and speak with Him. Not only does he allow me into his presence, but he has promised to listen to my pleas and my petitions. And not only does he listen, but he cares, and he answers my prayers.

Oh what a great privilege! A privilege that I take for granted much too often. Every once in a while I remember what a great God I am speaking to, I realize that he could crush my sinful person in a instant if the desire crossed His mind, and I suddenly feel very small. Oh, that I might feel small more often, that I might feel the greatness of my Saviour and be humbled by the favor he has shown me! Lord, may it be so.