… for this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

— Ephesians 3:14

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.

— Ephesians 1:17

And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

— John 14:13

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

— Ephesians 6:18

3 Then another angel … was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.

— Revelation 8:3-4

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, salvation and joy from Jesus Christ to you.

How does prayer work? Most simply, prayer is talking to God. Believers pray to the Father through the Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer expresses dependence on God and faith in His power and sufficiency. Even when God’s answers seem slow in coming. He is always at work to accomplish His good and glorious purposes.

The quiet thoughts in the hearts, spoken words, anguished cries, and joyful praises of God’s people reach from earth to heaven. God listens, cares, and acts on behalf of His people in response to their prayers. In Revelation 8, God brings judgment upon the earth when His people’s prayers ascend to His presence. A believer’s access to God in prayer came at a cost. Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, died on a cross to allow believers to have a relationship and communion with His Father. Let’s no longer underestimate the amazing privilege and responsibility of prayer. Let’s make the most of the privilege of praying to God in matters great and small all the time.