“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Psalm 62:8

The lyric of an old hymn goes something like this…what a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer. It is a blessing to be able to share all our heart concerns and desires with our Heavenly Father. He knows us by name and will answer when we call.

Prayer has innumerous benefits…it helps us to establish an intimate relationship with God. Through prayer we learn to have a closer walk with Him and grow in our faith; we learn what grace for grace really means…when we are so mercifully and forgiven, we extend forgiveness and mercy to others. Praise God that we are the recipients of His goodness and grace whenever we fall before Him on our knees.

It gives us the privilege to restore fellowship with God; we come before Him as a beloved child, not for show or trying to manipulate God for our purposes…but to hear from Him, to lay hold to His willingness to help as we confess our sins and seek to do His will as He orders our steps along this journey of life. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

As dear children of God, let us embrace the blessing that we have to come boldly before His throne of grace and be steadfast in the needs we bring before Him for not only ourselves but for others. He has promised us in His word that if we call on Him, he will answer “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3.

Above all, having hearts full of thanksgiving . . . gratitude is the attitude in which our prayers should be offered. God is so good towards us all, therefore we must show forth our thankfulness for all His innumerous blessings. The Psalmist wrote in the 103rd Psalm “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”

My friends, prayer is just like breathing…we cannot live without it. The bible tells us to “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Let us hasten to the His throne of grace and pour our hearts out to Jesus, just not today but every day and everything will be alright.

God blessings of love and grace be with us all.