Learn The "Heart" Of Prayer

In his Small Catechism Martin Luther described the wonderful truth about why God answers our prayers. In his explanation of “The Fifth Petition,” which is “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” he wrote, “We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins or because of them deny our prayers; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we ask, neither have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment.” That describes the heart of prayer; it is a repentant heart.

But a repentant heart will be left in despair if it doesn’t find forgiveness in the blood of Christ. David looked ahead with the eyes of faith to the time when the Savior would come. He based his confidence in prayer on God’s undeserved love for sinners that would be revealed through that Savior. We look back with eyes of faith to the cross of our Savior. The suffering and death of Jesus opened God’s ears to our prayers. That is why we now pray in Jesus’ name. We are saying to our Heavenly Father that it is only because of Jesus that he should listen to our prayer. Hebrews 4:16 gives us this encouragement, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” And Ephesians 3:12 adds this thought, “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” The throne of God is a throne of grace from which the answers to our prayers flow when we find our righteousness in Christ alone.

As we read Psalm 143 we learn about the heart of prayer from King David. Prayer calls for a repentant heart—a heart that throws itself on God’s mercy asking for nothing on its own merit. It only seeks God’s help in, and through, and because of Christ. May God work such a repentant heart in each of us.

II.

As we let David teach us about the heart of prayer we also learn that prayer calls for a trusting heart. Listen again to David’s description of what prompted his prayer. “The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead. 4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.” Again, it is those verses that have led many people to believe that David was on the run from Absalom. If that is true David certainly was facing a sharp reminder of his sin and guilt. But in the midst of his desperate situation David turned his thoughts to God’s power. Nothing that he faced was beyond God’s ability to help. David recalled God’s track record. “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” David could open God’s Word and read about the great things God had done in the past. He had created the world. He rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He made the sun stand still for Joshua. He had won great military victories for the people of Israel. Through his reflections on God’s power and ability to help his people when they are in need David revealed his trusting heart. He was saying to God, “As I meditate on the great things you have done in the past I am confident you can handle the problems I am now facing.”