Prayers are important to God. They are a gift we can use to communicate with our creator anytime. Cornelius was a Roman army officer who came to know the Lord while stationed in Israel. As he grew in faith, prayer became part of his daily life. Acts 10:3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering![1]
Prayer is significant because it helps us stay in a close relationship with God, which we can see in the life of Cornelius. When we pray, we open our hearts to God so He can answer our requests in His way and timing. The more time we spend with someone, the better we get to know them, and with God, it is the same. When we pray, it is not about getting from God but seeking His face and letting Him determine what is best for us. This kind of prayer realigns our hearts with His.
Prayer Changed the Life of Cornelius
As he prayed to the Lord for years, something happened in Cornelius’ heart. The Bible does not tell us what he prayed but says God received his prayers. Prayer is like a glue that holds the relationship between God and His people together. When we pray, we humbly come to Him to seek His wisdom.
The Lord sometimes chooses to heal people when we pray, or other miracles may happen. I remember praying for one young lady at a crusade who had experienced great pain in her arm for a long time. After praying for her, the Lord, in His mercy, healed her condition. Nothing was special about me as I prayed, but God healed her in His timing and grace.
When we pray, we can ask the Lord for His blessing, intervention, or another request He may be prompting us to pray. It is not unusual for the Lord to prompt us to pray for someone, and sometimes we don’t know why other than because of an urgency from the Lord.
God Loves Our Prayers
James 5:16The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. [2] Never underestimate the power of your prayers, no matter how old or young you are. Prayer is a gift from God for our benefit, not for the Lord we seek. God is already at work in the life around us like a gardener.
The Bible tells us to pray with humility and thankfulness. In addition, God answers every prayer in the best way, which may be hard for us to understand. When we walk in faith, we can trust God no matter how He answers our prayers.
Do you long to know the mind and heart of our Savior? The key is to spend time with Him in prayer and give space for Him to speak to you. You may not have an angel visit like Cornelius, but understand that He values our prayers in ways we can’t fathom. To learn more about how prayers are important to God, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/double-visions
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 10:3–4). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Jas 5:16). (1984). Zondervan.