Well, this series of posts seems to continue to stretch itself out further and further. It’s been almost two weeks since part 2. At this rate, I may still be writing on this topic next year at this time!
I don’t suppose that would be all that bad. Prayer is an integral part of the Christian life, and continual meditation and reflection upon it almost certainly helps in one’s walk with Christ.
The second of the Scripture passages I posted originally comes from Proverbs 15:29.
Proverbs 15:29
29The LORD is far from the wicked
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
This Scripture passage about prayer makes a lot of sense to me, taken at face value, from my own experience as a relatively normal person in my response to those who have wants or needs (note I did say, “relatively”).
What determines our response to a plea for help from someone?
Their standing with you?
Their relation to you?
How “deserving” they are of assistance?
If they’re a “good” person?
If we have pity for them?
Other factors?
To be perfectly honest, I think most of us go with #3… if they’re “deserving”. That’s probably a pretty natural response… We pass by the homeless, the beggars, the broken down travellers, the door-to-door salesmen… yes, even the telemarketers. We might have pity on them to the point we’ll acknowledge them… but to listen to their needs and respond?
It’s a rare thing for most of us.
Who do we respond to? Generally those whose needs or wants are right… whose needs or wants are meaningful… whose needs or wants are pleasing to us to meet.
Put simply, in parallel to the Scripture passage… if needs or wants are “righteous”… we respond, just as God does.
Here’s where this gets troubling though… when I think about my standing before God.
Am I righteous that he would hear my prayer?
Hardly.
Not of myself, at least.
Romans 3:10-18 describes our predicament:
10As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
13“Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know.”
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
In and of ourselves, outside of Christ, we have nothing of value to offer God. Our sin stains us with dark, disgusting, gunk that a holy, pure, and righteous God will have nothing to do with.
Why would he listen to us, much less respond? We wouldn’t.
Therein lies the rub.
We ARE righteous… at least once we have placed our faith in Christ.
Romans 3:22-24 explains:
22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
The very righteousness we need for God to hear our prayers comes from God Himself… through faith in Jesus.
Prayer is a gift from God: enabled by God, conveyed by God, heard by God, and answered by God.
Amazing.
Remind me again, why do some of us struggle with seeing prayer as mundane, pointless, or the like?
It’s clearly anything but.
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