A Prayer Taught by God

 

Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. - Hosea 14:2

The prophet not only calls God’s people to return to Him but also teaches them how to return and how to pray. Since the prophet does not speak from himself but conveys the Word of God, it means that the words of prayer are taught by the Lord. How wonderful it is that God tells His people what words to use when addressing Him! The best prayer is the prayer learned from God. It will certainly be accepted because it is dictated by Him. This is like a king dictating the petition that you are to present to him. In that case, you can be sure that the petition will be accepted because he himself has dictated it.

God has dictated to us the petition we are to address to Him. If we take the petition He has dictated and bring it before Him, it will be accepted. If we pray using the words of the prayer He has spoken, the prayer will be answered. He directs the repentant one to say, “Take away all iniquity.” Yes, all of it—not just a few sins. Will He not hear this prayer if He Himself has said we should pray this way? “Receive us graciously.” This is what He has dictated; we cannot pray otherwise, saying, “Receive us by our merits,” because we have no merit.

He not only commands us to pray in this way but also answers the prayer with this wonderful promise: “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, because My anger has turned away from them.” (Hosea 14:4)

From my diary,

December 7, 2024