One of the greatest blessings of being a Christian is being able to speak freely to our heavenly Father. Though He is the Almighty Creator of the universe, He grants us permission to ask Him for the things we want. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
Even more curiously, the Lord permits us to speak to Him directly. In the Old Testament days, men had to go to a priest to bring their petitions to God on their behalf. In the Church, Jesus Christ is our High Priest. There is no man between us and God. We speak to the Father directly. The Hebrew writer implores us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
With this kind of direct access to God, it may be tempting to treat prayer in a common or flippant manner. Our culture has become increasingly casual. From the way we dress to how we address those in authority. When I was a kid, I remember being taught to address every adult at church as “Brother so-and-so.” However, by the time I was in high school, we were on a first name basis with everyone, including the elders. While there is some good that comes from this kind of familiarity, our prayer cannot follow the same trend. Yet, it seems I hear more and more prayers that do just that.
Our prayers to God need to be reverent. This is the attitude that was exemplified when God commanded Moses to take off his sandals. We are not on the same level as God. Though we have been welcomed to approach God’s throne, there is a proper way of doing it. We must give the Lord the respect He deserves. “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome…” (Deut. 10:17).
If we do not show God the proper respect He deserves, we will make our prayers of no effect. We must treat God as holy. Even Moses, who spoke face to face with God, was punished when we did not treat God as holy (cf. Num. 20:12). Even Jesus Christ Himself had to revere the Father in prayer. Hebrews 5:7 tells us, “…in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear…” If the hearing of Jesus’ prayers relied on His reverence for God, how much more is this true for us?
We have a great privilege to bring our cares before our Maker. So, when we pray, let’s never forget to hallow the name of our Father in Heaven.