In
Peter's second epistle, he wrote that some things in Paul's letters are
"hard to understand" (2 Peter 3:15-16). Good. So I'm not
the only one who hasn't figured it out.
Of
course, Paul's letters are far from the only Biblical passages that leave me
flummoxed. Try this one: "Blessed are those whose strength is in
you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion" (Psalm 84:5).
Psalm
84:5 is very poetic. I've heard of people choosing a "life
verse," and I think I would definitely consider this one, even though at
first glance I'm not sure I fully understand it.
The Gift
A
few verses after Psalm 84:5, the psalmist writes, "O Lord God of hosts, hear my
prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!" Hear my prayer. Do we even realize the
magnitude of prayer? The sovereign God of the universe hearing us.
"What
a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What
a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!
O
what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All
because we do not carry everything to God in prayer " (Joseph Scriven).
This
beloved hymn calls prayer “a privilege.”
What a gift that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence
(Hebrews 4:16). Why do we so often see it
as an obligation, a chore?
How Should We
Then Pray?
When
the disciples asked the Son of God to teach them how to pray (Luke 11), Jesus
did not give an in-depth exposition or point-by-point explanation of the ways
and works of prayer. When one of His disciples asked for a lesson on prayer,
Jesus…prayed.
He
prayed other times, too. There are times He prayed alone, early in the
morning. There are times He prayed in
front of crowds, or with the disciples, and many of His prayers are recorded
for us. Isn’t it incredible that we have
record of how the Son of God prayed to God?
What other lessons about or demonstrations of prayer could we need?
Throughout
the Bible, it is clear that prayer is not a way to get whatever we want as if
there were a genie hiding in a bottle. Ultimately, God is sovereign and
will answer our prayers however He chooses. While we may not fully grasp
the role of prayer in the events around us, we do know that there is power in
prayer (James 5:16) and that God will ultimately do what is best for us
(Matthew 7:11).
The
Highway
In
his commentary, Matthew Henry wrote, "In whose heart are the ways of
them, that is, who, having placed their happiness in God as their end,
rejoice in all the ways that lead to him…They not only walk in these ways, but
they have them in their hearts..."
What
a beautiful thought. We have the ways
that lead to God in our hearts!
When
faced with decisions you can’t make on your own, pray. When worried about family members or friends,
pray. When exhausted at the prospect of
another day like yesterday, pray. Don't just stand there. Pray!
We
have a highway to Zion in our hearts. What
an mind-blowing picture! We don't have to wait in line or take a number
until we’re summoned. We don't have to travel for days or weeks to reach
His throne. Despite our hectic days and harried moments, God has put the highway to His presence in our hearts.
So
pray. And remember that He is praying for you.
"Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us" (Romans 8:33-34).
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