Friday September 23, 2016
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time...
A PRAYER PRIMER (5)
Our prayers are heard through Christ!
When my children were little they made Christmas lists-- a list of things that they would like to have for Christmas. The items on their lists were often simple, but occasionally extravagant. They made their requests and then hoped that "we the parents" would grant their requests. They didn't expect or feel they deserved anything because they had been "good for goodness sake."
When we bring our requests to God, let's not imagine that we in any way deserve the things we ask. We daily sin against our Heavenly Father and if He kept a record of wrongs and acted accordingly there would be much worse than coal and kindling in our stockings. We'd spend eternity in hell. God's Law makes it crystal clear that we deserve nothing but punishment.
God's love in Christ reveals that God has better plans for us. He doesn't want to give us what we deserve, but all that His Son has earned for us. Our Father is a giver like no other.
God doesn't only hear our prayers, but answers them because of our Mediator, our "go-between," Jesus Christ the Righteous. For Jesus' perfect righteousness is credited to us and when the Father looks upon us He sees-- not guilty sinners-- but His own dear children. Our prayers are heard and answered because of Christ.
In fact, Christ is the reason that God invites us to come before Him and ask, seek, and knock. Thank God that He doesn't give us what we deserve. Instead He gives us all that Christ Himself earned.
There is good reason why we pray-- in Jesus’ name.
