Why Prayer Deserves Priority
1 Kings 8:22-43
Pollsters tell us that most Americans indicate they pray every day. Yet the reality is, many do not. Even those who do pray would admit their need to strengthen the quality of their praying – that is, the attitude with which they pray or the depth of their confessions to God.
Prayer is a gift from God that He uses to build godly character in us. He desires that we make earnest, humble praying a daily discipline.
How can we strengthen our discipline of daily prayer? One of the most famous prayers in the Bible is Solomon’s dedication prayer of the temple. His prayer provides wisdom for us. As we look at this prayer, we see four reasons that prayer deserves priority.
First, prayer should be a priority because God is faithful (1 Kings 8:22-24). The promise to build the temple was given to David, yet was fulfilled in his son Solomon. As Solomon voiced his prayer before God and the gathered assembly, he spoke of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises. As we consider the Lord’s faithfulness, we have good reason to pray.
Second, prayer deserves priority because God listens (1 Kings 8:27-28). Solomon entreated the Lord to listen to his prayer concerning the temple. Many feel that “God won’t listen to me; I haven’t exactly been a saint.” Others might think that because God is infinite, He is not concerned about their personal situations. Yet we are invited to come before the throne of grace in our time of need through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:16). We can come confidently to the Lord, knowing that He hears us.
The third reason prayer deserves priority is because God responds (1 Kings 8:38-39). God promised Solomon that He would respond to the humble person’s prayers (2 Chronicles 7:14). Solomon asked the Lord to respond graciously when His people turned to Him in prayerful confession and repentance. We can pray to the Lord about anything that afflicts us because He responds by forgiving and acting to help us.
Finally, prayer deserves priority because everyone can pray (1 Kings 8:43). Solomon knew that God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3) concerned all the earth’s people. Therefore, he appealed for the Lord also to hear the prayers of the non-Israelites who called upon His name.
The Lord desires everyone to know Him and live in right relationship with Him through Jesus’ work on the cross (2 Peter 3:9). When we do this, we also will find, as Solomon did, “that prayer deserves priority”!
Larry McDonald– Lessons by Larry McDonald, dean of North Greenville University’s Graduate School of Christian Ministry and professor of Christian spirituality. He holds a Ph.D. from Southeastern Seminary and a D.Min. from Reformed Theological Seminary.