What are you doing when you pray?
Are you simply spouting out words and pleas for help to God?
Maybe you are praising God with words of gratitude. But does it feel like no more than words reaching out there somewhere to God? Does it feel like your prayers simply float away to God somewhere? You may know that God listens because Jeremiah 29:12 tells us “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." So your faith tells you God is listening to you when you pray to Him and call upon Him. But does it sometimes feel like those words and prayers are just drifting up to Him instead of reaching Him immediately. Does it feel like you connect with Him when you pray? When you say the words “I love you Father God” does it feel like an instant connection. You know He listens to you.
Although you cannot physically see His face, you know He is listening. Jesus is as well. Actually, Jesus is interceding, actively participating in your prayers. I think despite our faith in the Word and knowing God hears our prayers, we still have a hard time seeing it happen. We can’t necessarily see our prayers reach God. Maybe it would be easier to believe God answers prayer if we could see them reach God.
This week we are going to take a little journey in the Bible to see where our prayers go when they leave us. It may take a good dose of imagination and visualization to get the full impact. So don’t hold back. The unseen spirit world absolutely exits. Heaven absolutely exists. If you believe the Word of God you know this is true. So don’t let your flesh and eyes hold you back. God gave you the ability to imagine and visualize. Use those abilities today to step closer to Him.
We are going to use a great scripture to follow the path of our prayers. So sit back, hold on and watch your prayer life change. Be prepeared to see the power, obedience and love of your prayers. Your prayers have a life of their own. Watch what they do!
Let’s start with Hebrews 4:16.
Hebrews 4:16.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
This is talking about prayer. When we call upon God, go to Him and pray to Him, we approach Him. To approach God means to draw near Him. Hebrews 7:19 makes it clear that we can now draw near to God because of Jesus; a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. James 4:8 says: “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
When we pray, as the first word comes, we approach God. We go to God. We draw near to God. Just as you physically walk toward your child or loved one to hug, you approach God. I know you sit in church, or your car, or in your home when you pray, and it may not feel as if you are approaching God. Well now you know. Calling upon Him and praying to Him is approaching Him. You pray to Him to be near Him. You may speak to Him without feeling a closeness to Him, but prayer is approaching God.
Maybe it is time we re-think our definition of prayer and how we see it and feel it. It is far more than mere words. Prayer is speaking to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Prayer is calling upon the Father of the Universe. This is much more than words. We pray and approach our Creator. We pray and draw near to our Father God. This is our words reaching our God, our all powerful God.
Hebrews 4:16 starts with the suggestion that we approach God by saying, “Let us then approach the throne of grace.” Let us approach God. How do we approach God? We approach Him through prayers. This week read Solomon's prayer of dedication of the temple in 2 Chronicles 6:12,13. Watch first what Solomon does in approaching God:
2 Chronicles 6:12, 13
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands… He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
Do you think Solomon considered his upcoming prayer as approaching God? Did he consider his words in this prayer as an instrument of drawing near to God? Solomon knelt down and spread out his hands toward heaven in preparation for his prayer. I think he absolutely considered prayer as approaching God. Solomon used his physical actions to demonstrate that his prayer would indeed draw him near to God. His body movements said “I will approach God.”
We tend to kneel less often in church now or even at home. Is it because we have become more comfortable with God and prayer? Or is it because we have forgotten that prayer is approaching God? Maybe we should reconsider including kneeling in prayer so that we can be reminded of the great privilege we have to be able to approach God.
Read Solomon’s first words in his prayer of dedication in 2 Chronicles 6:14.
2 Chronicles 6:14
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.
Sounds to me like Solomon spoke as if he were near God, maybe in the same room… “O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth.” I think we should try Solomon’s approach when we pray next. We can reverently kneel down before God and spread our hands toward heaven. Then speak Solomon’s exact words, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth – you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.” Try that and realize you have just approached God. Realize this is the true meaning of prayer. Prayer is not simply calling on God for help or even giving thanks. Prayer is approaching your Father. Prayer is your desire to be near Him. Prayer is more than words. Prayer is your way to connect, approach and come near to God. Realize you have drawn near to God.
Look at some more of Solomon’s words in this prayer. What does he say to God in verse 2 Chronicles 6:15?
2 Chronicles 6:15
You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.
Solomon has approached God and acknowledged Him as the God over all other god’s, keeper of His covenant of love. Now Solomon recognizes to God the promises He has kept and fulfilled. Solomon speaks to God with complete confidence that he is in the presence of God. Solomon speaks to God in this prayer with intimate conversation. Solomon has approached God and come near to Him as his words flow. Solomon does not use words without any meaning to them. His words all have extreme meaning and are carefully chosen. Solomon knows he is in the presence of God and selects words with significance to him.
Solomon knows that he has approached God. Solomon makes a very serious request to the Almighty Lord God, as stated in 2 Chronicles 6:19.
2 Chronicles 6:19
Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.
Solomon is entirely confident that he is in God’s presence as he asks God to hear his cry.
Watch what a serious request Solomon makes in God’s presence.
2 Chronicles 6:20, 21
May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
Did you catch that last request? “Forgive.” Solomon asks God to hear his prayers and forgive. That is confidence. I have approached you God and I am near you. I recognize you as God of all. I recognize your promises that have been fulfilled. Now I ask you to hear my prayers and forgive.
You go Solomon! Don’t hesitate, just get straight to the point. Forgive. I want you to read that entire prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:12-42. Notice the very bold prayers and requests that Solomon gives God. He makes request after request that God forgive the people who sin against him. Solomon asks that God uphold their cause when they go to war. He prays that God teach the people the right way to live. He prays for every disaster or disease that may come, and with it a prayer or plea that God will forgive. He asks God to deal with hearts so that the people will fear Him and walk in his ways.
Can you see Solomon, a king, in front of the whole assembly of Israel kneeling before God in prayer? Imagine this king’s hands spread out towards heaven as he prayed and approached his God. A king kneeling before someone greater than himself must have been quite a sight….
Solomon prayed. He approached God. He came near to God and God came near to Him. Just as the word says in James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” Solomon came near to God, and God came near to Solomon. Solomon approached God and said “Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.” (2 Chronicles 6:41)
And in 2 Chronicles 7:1 we read, “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." Solomon drew near to God, and God drew near to Solomon. Solomon prayed that God enter the temple. The glory of the Lord filled the temple.
Let us approach God. “Let us then approach the throne of grace.” Hebrews 4:16. Our first step to visualizing our prayer life is just this: visualize approaching God when you pray. Think of prayer now as more than words. Think of prayer as coming near to God, approaching God. When you pray you are not merely speaking words. You are approaching God.
Meditate on Hebrews 4:16, this one portion:
Let us then approach the throne of grace.
Remember to concentrate on the idea of approaching God when praying to Him. Our next lessons will look to the throne of grace. We will actually get a visual picture of the throne of God. We will see what we approach. We will see his throne in a more vivid view of exactly where our prayers go. It will be an awesome new experience for our prayer life!
So this week, meditate on Hebrews 4:16.
Let us then approach the throne of grace.
Meditate also on Jeremiah 29: 11-13.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
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