Prayer Altars: Embracing the Priestly Call to PrayerSample

The Sacred Art of Prayer

Prayer is both a priestly privilege and a spiritual sacrifice. It serves as a spiritual currency for interacting with the spiritual realm. Just as earthly nations have their currencies for facilitating commerce, the Kingdom of God operates with its form of exchange: prayer. For example, in my current country of residence, the United Kingdom, the currency used for transactions is the British pound. I cannot use the currency of my country of birth, Nigeria, to make purchases here. I must adopt a currency that aligns with the land’s governing system.

In the same way, prayer is a currency for transacting with the realms of the Holy One to access the resources of heaven. It is how we partner with God to see His will manifest on earth (Matthew 6:10).

In the words of E.M. Bounds: “The prayers of God’s saints are the capital stock in heaven by which Christ carries on His great work upon earth.”

Let’s begin with the origin story.

In Genesis 1:26 (KJV), God declared:

“Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over all the earth...”

Being made in God's image means we were created to communicate and commune with Him. Consider this:

Naturally, it would be unusual for a goat to commune or relate with a lion—they are not of the same kind. Therefore, in prayer, I believe we communicate intimately with our kind, our Father in heaven.

Adam had communion with God before the fall, and began to lose this intimate connection after disobeying God. We see this early in Genesis 3:8 (KJV), "when they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden".

To hear someone implies a preexisting connection. Adam and Eve could differentiate the voice of God from other voices. But after sin entered, that rhythm began to wane. Prayer, which had once been an effortless transaction between Creator and creation, now requires greater intention on this side of eternity. Let’s thank God for Jesus, who has restored fellowship (Colossians 1:20-22).

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of communion with you through prayer. What a privilege it is to approach your throne in confidence through the blood of Jesus. You have made me in your image, crafted me with divine intention and authority. Because of this, I honor you as both Creator and Father. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen.