Psalm 130:2

Psalm 130:2

Lord hear me!

The plea here is a reflection of the nature of human faith far more than it is an indication of the character of God. Of course, He hears our voices when they are raised in sincere petitions before Him. Of course, He hears our cries for mercy when we plead from a broken heart at the foot of His throne. 

The methods by which men and women have communicated with the Lord God have been many and various over the centuries. In ancient times the Lord spoke to men like the patriarchs in a direct manner, there were conversations going on, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and others seemed to have an open line to heaven! The prayers of Israel were recounted by the priests who daily entered the Holy Place and poured incense on the hot coals of the altar within the Tabernacle, and later the Temple. There was no such restriction placed upon the apostles and early followers of Jesus, prayer became one of the fundamental constituents of the life of the early church and it was an essential part of a living relationship that they enjoyed with the Lord, through the holy Spirit. We read of our prayers rising like incense and being presented to the Lord who undoubtedly is aware of our heart cries. 

The key to prayer is not its length, or the beauty of the language or even which Book of Prayer is being used! It is the sincerity of the one who prays and the faith that accompanies the prayer. Do we truly believe in the One to whom we pray? Do we believe that He hears our requests? Do we believe that He is able to answer and that He will do so? Prayer, when all is said and done, is dependence. It is the transfer of our needs and inadequacies to the care and control of the One who is much greater than us and who we believe will hear and answer. Hallelujah!

 

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