As we press deeper into the practice of prayer, and realize that our soul is literally approaching the throne of the Almighty Creator and King, we understand more and more why Jesus underscored that we should come in His name. As Americans, born into the rights and power of the individual, we are perhaps hampered by our culture, on this point. Only people under a government “by the people and for the people” would ever think that we could walk right into the presence of a ruler and address him personally. Even if we are entering God’s presence as a beloved and welcomed child, we dare not forget that it is only His gracious kindness that calls us such, and only the great price Jesus paid that opens the way for us. As the writer of the book of Hebrews points out, we could not pray at all without Christ going as the High Priest into God’s presence for us. Indeed, it is His crucified body and poured-out blood that remove every obstruction between us and God and make any relationship on good terms possible. “Therefore…having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith….” (Hebrews 10:19, 22)
For the sake of His Beloved Son, God accepts us; the only way into His presence is to wear Jesus’ name and right-standing, to come as His followers. What Jesus taught His disciples about prayer comes into focus much more clearly now: “I am the way….No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Not just the way to find forgiveness from God, but the way to find Him at all. Prayer then is the result of our closeness to Jesus– how offensive it must be for us to bring a list of our desires and concerns to the Father if our relationship with the Son is either casual or neglected.
Prayers rightly come out of time spent with Jesus, shaped by His will and purposes, marked by His grace, motivated by His love. Prayers rightly flow out of our interaction with the Savior who is renovating our hearts in the process, and this is why He can promise “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14) Asking in Jesus’ name for things He already greatly desires to give us brings Him great honor, both as the Giver and as the One who is bringing about this spiritual transformation in us. Paul inextricably links time spent with Jesus to our growth process: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) So we see both prayer and spiritual growth flowing from the same sweet source– the presence of the Savior in our minds and hearts, because we have thrown open the doors and granted Him access to every room.
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“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance– now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” (Hebrews 9:15)
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“For our consolation when we survey God under the high and terrible aspect of a sovereign, we have this to reflect on, that He is under covenant bonds of promise to be faithful to the souls that seek Him. His throne must be a throne of grace to His people. And sweetest thought of all, every covenant promise has been endorsed and sealed with blood, and far be it from the everlasting God to pour scorn upon the blood of His dear Son.” (Spurgeon, The Power of Prayer in A Believer’s Life)