The Incredible Privilege of Prayer

Imagine you were able to control even just all the atoms individually that you can hold in the palm of your hand. This would give you the power to destroy a whole city within seconds and to fly to the moon. You could rule the world.

Imagine you were the cousin of the President of the United States, and he had given you his personal phone number and told you that you could phone him any time of day if you needed anything.

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it." Isa 46:9-11

The LORD has created and continues to sustain and direct every single atom in the whole Universe. Not only this, but He even moves in the hearts of humans in order to bring all His purposes to pass:

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will." Proverbs 21:1

King Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the world in his time, boasted one day of the great kingdom that he had built by his own might. Immediately, a voice came from heaven, and his mind became like that of an animal, and for 7 years he, the ruler of the world, was cast out of his own palace and ate grass like an ox. Finally, the Lord restored him to sanity.

"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Daniel 4:34-35.

And how are we wretched sinners, who trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, taught to address this Almighty and terrible God, who is "a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate" him (Exodus 20:?

"Our Father."

And when can we pray to Him? Must we go to a temple, or earn our own righteousness?

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." John 4:23

And does this omnipotent King, who does everything He pleases, listen to our prayers?

"[Jesus said:] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14.

Of course to "ask in Christ's Name" is not referring to the letters C-H-R-I-S-T, as if it was a magic word, by which we can then (ab)use the LORD as a tool to get physical health, a nicer car or a bigger home. No, the NAME of Christ is His character, His being, that which accords with His nature.

This also assures us that God will not answer any of our prayers that spring out of our sinful nature, that go against His holy nature and that would do us damage. Rather, He answers all our prayers which come from faith and the Spirit dwelling in us.

When God's children pray to their heavenly Father, He hears their prayers for Christ's sake. Because Christ died for us, He rules the world for our good (Romans 8:32).

The Maker and Sustainer of the whole Universe, the One who rules over Satan and all his minions, along with every single ant, the One who knows about each sparrow that falls to the earth, the One who clothes the grass of the field and feeds the birds of the air - He it is that all the elect of God pray to, in full assurance that He will grant all their requests for His own name's sake.

What an amazing privilege.