My house shall be called a house of prayer.

“for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” Isaiah 56:7

 “And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer?” Matt 11:17

Our home says a lot about us.  When people come to our house they expect to eat well.  That is because if they haven’t had my wife’s cooking already… they have heard about it.  I remember when there was an announcement made before church began one Sunday about a talk I would be giving as a requirement for school.  I had told the man making the announcement, “You might want to mention that Donna is preparing food.”  When he mentioned my talk… there was some applause.  When he mentioned that Donna would be bringing food… the whole church erupted with applause, shouting… even some whistling.

Our house is known for her cooking.

But God’s house…

is known for prayer.

What does that mean?  What is prayer?  What makes it so different than any other house to any other god?

When Elijah, the prophet of God, faced off against over 800 prophets of Baal… we see exactly what the difference is.

“and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered…And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them… And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.” 1 Kings 18:26,28-29”

All the prayers offered to other gods do no good.  Every other house of a god that has followers praying is not like unto the house of our God for one simple reason…

He hears us.

“Hear me, O LORD, hear me,” (1 Kings 18:37).  This was Elijah’s simple prayer.

Prayer is not a monologue.  It doesn’t matter how many people come together to pray to deaf, dumb idols… those gods cannot hear… they cannot answer.

In God’s house… prayer is.

Prayer is a conversation.  God speaks. We hear. We speak. God hears.

It is never that He is silent.  It is only that we are distracted.

Come into His house.  A place where He desires to speak with you.

The next few days will be spent on different aspects of prayer.  I hope they will encourage.

SDG