The Blessing of Prayer
But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
Mark 15:38
Christ took our sins to the cross, breathed his last breath, and then God tore the curtain in the temple in two from top to bottom. This curtain was the entrance to the Most Holy place where the priest would speak to God once per year. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance (Hebrews 9:7). The priest offered blood from an animal sacrifice allowing him access to the Most Holy place once per year, but Jesus offered his blood and God opened the Most Holy place for all those accepting Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, we can pray and commune with the Lord anytime day or night, because the Most Holy place is now the Spirit in us, and we are the temple.
Do we pray with a thankful heart, knowing that it’s only through the perfect sacrifice of Christ that gives us this blessing? Christ forgives our sins and intercedes for us to the Father. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15).
God paid the ultimate price by sending his Son to the cross to take the punishment for our sins, redeeming us to himself through Christ. This ultimate sacrifice reveals God’s perfect love for us; this should pierce our hearts, especially when we pray. But how often do we take prayer for granted without realizing what a great blessing we have? We can talk to the creator of Heaven and earth anytime! Do you think that we desire to talk to the Lord as much as he desires to hear us and talk to us?
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me (Proverbs 8:17). How can we love the Lord without knowing him? The driving force of the Christian life is to have an ever increasing intimate loving fellowship with the Lord. By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected ( 1John 2:3-5). When we obey his commands and shine like a light for Christ to the world, our hearts identify with Jesus’ heart, and we are drawn to Christ. Our hearts are filled with God’s love and we are changed forever as we become more Christ-like.
Today when you pray, remember the price paid for the privilege. Pray in reverence with a thankful, surrendered heart. Remember the great blessing it is to pray and talk to the Lord at any time.
Let’s Pray: Lord thank you that I can come to you in prayer, the creator of Heaven and earth, that you love me and desire to commune with me. It’s difficult to comprehend the love and the blessings you have for me through the sacrifice of Christ. In Jesus name, Amen.