What is Prayer?

Now, let’s see what prayer is.  It can’t be summed up in a nice short list.  It is very complex, yet the youngest child can do it.  It should be the first thing we do when we wake up, and the very last thing we do before we sleep.  It happens at certain times and situations throughout the day, yet it is a state of being that we live all day long.  Have I confused you yet?  Let us start at the beginning.

                Before Jesus came to earth, God had set up a temple in Israel.  He told them not only how they were supposed to worship, but when, and even how to build the temple.  The temple had a large outdoor courtyard where any clean, Israelite could go.  Here they would learn about God, celebrate feasts and holidays, and where they would kill and sacrifice animals for all the bad things they had done. 

                Now, there was a special building in the courtyard. It was a holy place. It was divided into two sections.  The front was for the priests who would worship God by burning incense, lighting candles, asking for forgiveness, and thanking God for blessings.  In the back was a very special place called the Holy of Holies.  Here, the high priest would come once a year and offer incense and ask God’s forgiveness for the whole nation of Israel.  It was so holy that only the High priest would be allowed to come.  He had to do a whole list of rituals to make sure he was clean and worthy to enter.  If not, God might strike him dead right there and then.  You may think that was pretty harsh, but it wasn’t the case.  More like God is so clean and pure, and we are so dirty and sinful.  It is like oil and vinegar. The two cannot be in the same space.  To make sure no one accidentally went into the Holy of Holies, a large veil or curtain separated the two spaces. 

                So, why am I telling you about all this history, and how does this temple have to do with prayer? Well you see, over 900 years later, a man name Jesus came.  He taught about many things including prayer and gave a wonderful example on how to pray.  We will talk about this later.  Then, at the age of 33, He was arrested, and killed on a cross.  While He was on the cross a few amazing things took place.  One, incredibly sad but awesome thing was Jesus took on all the sin of the whole world.  God actually turned His back on Jesus and poured out all the punishment for every sin every committed, from the beginning of time on, Jesus.  Jesus paid for my sin and your sin.  Then He died.  At that very moment, another miraculous event happened.  Remember that veil we talked about that separated the holy place from the holy of holies?  It was torn!  Not from the bottom up like a person would tear it.  It was torn from the top down.  Because of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, we, you and me, have direct access to God.  It doesn’t mean that God is no longer holy.  It doesn’t mean that we are perfect.  What it does mean is that we can have forgiveness of sins.  If we trust in Jesus and believe Him, what He did on that cross.  We can give all of our bad thoughts, words, and actions to Jesus and He will pay for all of them.  Now, when God looks at us, He doesn’t see a dirty, messed up Jessie.  He sees JESUS.  And because Jesus is perfect, we can go right to God’s throne through prayer, and talk with God.  How amazing is that!  Prayer is a gift!