-------
An excerpt from an article by Tim Kerr titled "If prayer is such a good thing, why does it seem so hard?"
The Scripture speaks of only one reality that compels the Almighty to turn his face toward us. When the Ancient of Days has His exacting justice fully satisfied, all shall be well between creature and Creator. But how can an infinite being ever be fully satisfied? An offering must be made that is not only capable of dying the sinners death, but of swallowing the everlasting darkness of that infinite sentence. Surely only one who is both Transcendent and Immanent could possibly qualify. Infinite Spirit mixed with flesh and blood. Set apart from sinners yet not set apart from humanity.
Here is the word we are looking for. Propitiation. Where the offended God is appeased fully. Where fury is turned to favour. The lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. Sent on a mission propelled by God’s love to drink every drop of the wine of God’s wrath. Not a drop left over for us. Not a single drop!
In other words, propitiation provides for prayer! So here’s the practical part. The first movements of renewal in prayer begin with a look at Calvary—but not in the way we usually look at that sacred cross. We are prone to see the cross horizontally—what it does for us, what Jesus did on the cross for us. But the jumper cable “look” at the cross that restarts our prayer lives is of a completely different variety. We must look at the cross vertically—what the cross did to God, how the cross affected infinite holiness. How the cross satisfied God.
Look now. Do you see the light of his face? The frown of God turned to a smile! Nothing reinvigorates prayer like the welcoming face of our God, arms outstretched, welcoming us into his presence! Let that light draw you to Him today!
“In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain” (Prov. 16:15).
Read the whole article HERE.
HT: Challies
-------
