Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV

 

Do we really understand what happens when we pray?

Jesus is recorded in scripture as praying 25 different times during his time on earth. He even very specifically gave His followers a model of how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). Incredibly, God longs to hear from us and His heart is moved by our prayers! “Prayer itself has no power… All the power in prayer is God’s power. He acts in powerful ways in response to our prayers.”[1]

God is always listening.

A woman named Corrie told of being held in a concentration camp with her sister, Betsy. Seven-hundred people had been shoved into a room meant to hold 200. Corrie told how fights broke out. It was chaos, with swearing and sounds of bodies being beaten filling the room. “Then, Betsy said, ‘Let’s pray.’ And she prayed, and she prayed, and she prayed. And when she prayed, it was as if a storm laid down. We heard less swearing and beating. At last, it was absolutely quiet. And then Betsy said, ‘Thank you lord, amen.’ There was a room of 700 prisoners in danger.  And there was one woman who prayed.”[2]

Your prayer can make a difference because nothing is impossible with God! (Luke 1:37). In the Bible book of Hebrews, we’re invited to draw near with confidence to God’s “…throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Does your life or the lives of those you love,…or this world need mercy and grace today? Be the one who prays!

[1] Vandergriend, Alvin. “What Happens When We Pray?” Church Prayer Leaders Network – Help for Churches That Want to Make Prayer More Foundational to Their Entire Ministry, www.prayerleader.com/what-happens-when-we-pray/. Accessed 26 Dec. 2023.

[2] Biblicalrestorationministries. “July 22.” Instagram, December 26, 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/CvP7ErgNGk4/.