Today’s Passage: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
In 2009, one of our studies was entitled, “Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?” in which the commitment to prayer was discussed. This study will relate to the immeasurable blessing of prayer.
For several months, our ladies have studied the subject of prayer on Wednesday nights. The study of the Scriptures regarding prayer has taught me much about drawing closer to our heavenly Father and the benefits, honor and blessing of prayer with Him. Examples of prayer can be found throughout the Bible, including Abraham in Genesis 20:17, Moses in Numbers 11:2, Hannah in I Samuel 1 and 2, Solomon in I Kings 8 and 9, Nehemiah in Nehemiah 1, Job in Job 17, David throughout the Psalms, Daniel in Daniel 9:1-4, Jesus in Luke 11 and throughout the gospels, Paul throughout his letters as well as many other examples.
Prayer is one of the most discussed subjects in the Bible. Would something found so often in the Scriptures be unimportant? Certainly not. Further, we are commanded to pray as in I Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is worth stating again: God through Jesus has willed that we pray continually.
Jesus serves as an example of continual prayer to God. Jesus’ purpose was to do God’s will as He mentioned in His teaching on how we should pray in Matthew 6:10 and as He demonstrated in His prayer to God in the garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:42. Paul also prayed continually as written in Romans 1:9 and 2 Timothy 1:3.
A wonderful passage regarding our unique blessing as Christians is found in Hebrews 6:13-Hebrews 10:39. In the past, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place to approach God (Hebrews 9:6-8) yet now, after Christ’s sacrifice:
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” Hebrews 6:19-20.
What does that mean for us today? Sinful man could not enter God’s presence. Animal sacrifices could not take away sin permanently but had to be reoffered by the priests; yet Christ is our sacrifice for all times: prior to His death and resurrection and following them. Christ is our Mediator between sinful man and God. His blood washes us clean and allows us to approach God in prayer.
The veil that separated God from sinful man in the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45), symbolizing the fact that God is now accessible to us through Christ’s blood if we are saved and continue to follow Him. Because of Jesus our Savior, we can now approach God’s throne of grace.
How can we neglect such a gift as this? To enter the presence of our Lord in prayer is an awesome blessing. We draw closer to God by speaking to Him through Christ: “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:11. As Christians, the Holy Spirit also helps us in our prayers: “But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:25-27.
The gift of prayer is something that we should be grateful to have received because sin creates a barrier between us and God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. What does this mean for mankind? “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2. Also, “…the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23.
If this were the end of the story, we would be without hope. Yet let us read the next passages in Romans 3 and 6. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:23-26. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Praise God for His gift of reconciliation and the opportunity to approach Him in prayer.
In closing, I am including a hymn by Fanny J. Crosby. As I have written before, she is one of my favorite poets. Though blind, she saw what so many of us cannot see. She understood the awesome power and blessing of prayer as evidenced by the third stanza. I pray that I will draw so close to the Lord that every moment is spent in prayer. God bless you all and I pray that this study has been beneficial to you. I have certainly learned much from studying God’s Word on prayer.
I AM THINE, O LORD
Words: Fanny Crosby, in Brightest and Best (New York: Biglow & Main, 1875).
Music: W. Howard Doane W. Howard Doane (1832-1915)
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
REFRAIN:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
