Know Why

1 Kings 8:18

“Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.” 

My kids love to play-replay their old videos. By old, meaning just a year or some couple of months ago. But there were already significant differences, especially physically and verbally. When we left Manila 6 month ago, Kjaran was still mostly babbling. Now we wonder where she got all those phrases. I had to make her unlearn some words, especially those picked up when I’m out and fiery,  hahaha :> Then of course I’ll try to compensate that with good add ups to her growing vocabulary. Our latest was the proudly-Pinoy po and opo. It’s her new yes and period. She’s all-accepting and mechanically obedient. But not Rilian. His age calls for an explanation, and more follow up questions. Now I have to think through my parental demands. I need facts to back me up and a biblical basis to make sure it’s right. Otherwise, why bother?

Reading through this chapter, I finally found the reason behind the prophet Daniel’s praying with his windows opened toward Jerusalem. Could be the same reference for the Muslim’s Keblah, or that duty to turn their faces towards Mecca when they pray. I may be wrong. But it’s possible. Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple sums up in this: ‘May you hear and forgive us Lord, in light of this temple’. For Israel, the temple is their bridge to the most holy God. It’s where justice and mercy meets via the shedding of blood. So whether defeated by the enemies or plagued by pests and famine, or brought to exile, they hope to seek (or see) refuge in the Lord’s house, knowing it’s where they can find a second chance.  What the temple stands in the Old Testament, Jesus is to us, through whom God’s favour rests. He is God’s provision for us, the only bridge for our repentance and requests to reach heaven’s throne. That’s why He shed His blood on the cross. That’s why we end our prayers with ‘In Jesus Name’. The phrase is not a respectfully yours letter ender. Calling on Jesus is the necessary stamp to get our messages across.  God will hear only when He sees Jesus’ marked blood on us. That’s why we acknowledge Him in our prayers.

We sure know a lot of people who felt God was deaf to their prayers. We may want to ask them first if they’re hooked to the Lifeline to begin with. Jesus is our only possible connection to heaven -- and He’s no less than God’s only Son! That makes accessibility just the door and that relationship is up ahead. In Jesus, we can call God ‘our Father’.  That’s moving from just being heard to being close. And in Jesus, we became co-heirs with Him. That’s from being forgiven to blessings forever. How beautiful is that! I think it’s high time we think through our prayer structures. Not that it’s wrong, but more of doing it for the right reasons. His name sure deserves more mention that just a closing phrase. Think about it. Know why.