You are Free to Pray

Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer

Jesus addressed the issue of freedom in one of his arguments with the Pharisees. He said, “…Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

When we think about being free the first thing that should come to mind is that we never need to fear coming before the throne of the God of heaven and earth.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:13-16).

We need never fear to pray because prayer is communication between our Heavenly Father and his earthly children. While me may pray for many reasons, the one that drives us to deepest prayer is our need…for ourselves or for others. These verses assure us that we will find grace and mercy when we pray, whether we deserve it or not.

So how do we exercise our freedom to pray? First, we make prayer a priority in our lives just as we prioritize communication with our closest family members. Second, we are always open to opportunities to pray whether asked to pray or not. I have cultivated the habit of praying for people I notice as I drive. I do this for two reasons, first to make me more aware of people around me, and second, to speak into their lives as I ask for their safety, tangible blessing, or simply awareness of the presence of God around them.

There are many ways to express our freedom in Christ to pray ranging from intercession to thanksgiving and praise. We can do it in a formal setting (prayers in a group). We can do it on the fly (seeing and responding to the world around us). We can set aside special times of prayer (as in a quiet time). But most of all we need to exercise our freedom as sons and daughters of God to come to him often, openly, and knowing that we will be heard no matter what his answer may be.

(Photo credit: Emily Edster, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park)