The One Who Cares

On the day "The Lord's Prayer" was spoken into existence by Jesus, we were taught upfront to remember Who is receiving and hearing our prayers.  Jesus said, "Pray then in this way, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name..."  (Matthew 6:9).   In a most upfront  manner, Jesus announces that prayer is no ordinary, run of the mill, conversation.  Even if our prayer conversation is about ordinary things, the One to whom our praying is addressed makes it a very special moment.  The fact that we are able to enter into a moment of intimate conversation with our Creator makes it unlike any other verbal communication.   

The assumption which is inherent throughout the whole of Scripture is that God not only takes delight in our desire to share our stuff with Him, but He also cares about it and us.  He is not a  hired man forced to listen, or a friend who is fulfilling the duties of friendship, or an uninterested listener captured by an unwanted conversation, but One whose heart is eager to respond to the concerns we lift up to Him.  God listening and caring about praying is not about sovereign responsibility, but about grace.   

We cannot fathom the depths of divine grace and what divine grace enables and sustains.  It is as important to our life as is the breath we breathe.  Without divine grace we would not be walking the road with Jesus, or anyone else.  And without divine grace we would have no hope at life's end of finally making it home.  The One to whom we pray is the giver of this grace and to Him we owe not just a few moments of devotional time, but our whole life and everything that gives it meaning.