The seriousness of praying to God in the Old Testament is more intense than what is described in the New Testament, however I do not believe I can take approaching God less seriously.  I am convicted in my own life when I come before God. I pray to Him as my Father, I pray without ceasing, I have access to His presence and then I casually bow my head before a meal or in church and I find myself not thinking about who I am praying to. That is what I find dangerous – that is not how I want to see myself praying – I should not pray like that. I should pray realizing who I am talking to – with a sense of awe at who God is and the fact that I am now before Him.

Aaron is to wear this robe when he serves as priest. When he comes into my presence in the Holy Place or when he leaves it, the sound of the bells will be heard, and he will not be killed. – Exodus 28:35 GNT

I am encouraged today to guard my heart and my mind against a casual approach to God and not to forget His holiness and His greatness. It is a serious matter that helps me not to forget He is my father and that I am His child. He is also the holy Creator, God of the universe and in my sinful nature I approach His glory and greatness whenever I enter His presence in prayer.

I can do that when I keep Him in my heart.

 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen to my words. Never let them get away from you. Remember them and keep them in your heart. They will give life and health to anyone who understands them. – Proverbs 4:20-22 GNT

It may go against my inherited sinful nature but I need to cultivate a heart that loves wisdom.

“A neglected Bible is the melancholy proof of a heart that is alienated from God. For how can we have a spark of love for him if that Book that is full of his revealed glory is despised?” – Bridges

When I miss the simplicity of this have I fallen into the trap described to the Galatians?

You foolish Galatians! Who put a spell on you? Before your very eyes you had a clear description of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross! – Galatians 3:1 GNT

Is it possible to have fallen into a spell or is Paul being sarcastic? I need to keep myself in the presence of God and His Word in order to not walk in foolishness.

Although I am a doctor of divinity, and have preached Christ and fought His battles for a long time, I know from personal experience how difficult it is to hold fast to the truth. I cannot always shake off Satan. I cannot always apprehend Christ as the Scriptures portray Him. Sometimes the devil distorts Christ to my vision. But thanks be to God, who keeps us in His Word, in faith, and in prayer. – Martin Luther Commentary

 

Luther understood prayer first and foremost as a duty, because God has commanded us to do it. It’s more than a duty, of course, but it is not less. The third commandment not only forbids us from using God’s name in an empty and meaningless way – it also requires us to praise the holy name of God and call upon it all our needs. Prayer is just as clearly and solemnly commanded as having no other gods, not murdering or stealing, and we need to have a greater sense of that than we do. Luther wrote, ‘From fact that prayer is so urgently commanded, we ought to conclude that we should by no means despise our prayers, but rather prize them highly.’ Even more strongly, Luther declared, ‘He who does not pray should know that he is no Christian and does not belong in the kingdom of God.’ – Warren Peel