Praying From Your Heart
Prayer is the reflection of the heart of those who participate in it. When one comes before the Lord in prayer all is laid bare. The All-Knowing, All-Seeing God searches the hearts of those who so desire to know Him. Religiosity is a noisy bong and a clanging cymbal before His Holiness. It is the Lord’s passionate love for us that opened the door to His presence and it is our love for Him that draws us close. Out of the heart, our mouth speaks. This wonderful moment of intimacy, this touching of God and man, is found in prayer.
A man whose heart is the Lord’s, speak what is true. The Psalmist wrote: “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Ps. 145.18) No guile, no pretending, and no hypocrisy can be found in those who are in His presence. David prayed: “I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.” (Ps. 51.3) Now that is being truthful. Isaiah cries out, when he is before the throne of God: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…” (Is. 6.5) Nothing is hidden from God and when we speak the truth about our sin, about out helplessness, His love cleanses, heals, delivers and forgives.
From the heart one obeys with joy. When you are in love, submission is not an issue. Serving is not degradation, but rather a privilege. When one has been faithful in the assignment he has been given, he has confidence when coming into the presence of the King of kings. His heart does not condemn him. There is no fear of being reprimanded for his failure; no regrets. He can boldly come before the throne of grace, and as John says in his first epistle: “…whatever we ask we receive from Him.” (I John 3.21-22)
A thankful heart is a heart of faith. It is believing and receiving before you see it. A heart that knows the Lord is thankful at just the promise of answered prayer. He doesn’t need to see to believe or have in his possession to be thankful. Paul told the Philippians that it is by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving that all requests are to be made known to God. (Phil. 4.6) By being thankful, one places his trust in the Giver rather than in the gift. In everything we are to give thanks, thus drawing us close to God and He to us.
How is the state of your heart today? God has chosen to make his abode with those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. (Is. 57.15) Humble yourself before the Lord today and you will find abundant grace to help in your time of need. Your heart will be revived and His love will take over. Humble yourself and He will exalt you. The prayer of the humble is heard on high. As David prayed: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Ps. 51.17)
Humility and boldness, obedience and faith, they all seem so opposite to each other, yet they are the very qualities that God desires of those who would come to Him in prayer. So guard your heart from the pollutions of superficiality. Walk in the light as He is in the light. Remove all falsehood from you and pray from your heart. Let Heaven come down and touch you today.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Psalms 145.18; Phil. 4.6; I John 3.21-22; Heb. 4.16; James 4.5-10; I Thess. 5.17