As a chaplain, I pray a lot with people. People ask others to pray for them. Prayer seems to have become commonplace that I suspect that many don't understand the privelege inherent in Prayer. I want to reflect on the privelege inherent in approaching God, which is prayer. I am coming from a theistic worldview, which sees God as a separate person, not a force within or without that can be manipulated.

     How can man approach this person called God (the creator of the universe)? Just like any other person, God makes himself known by coming into relationships called covenants. No person can be fully known apart from relationship. God does not have equal relationship with all peoples. God chose the people of Israel to have a relationship with. This should dispel any thought that all views of God (religion) leads to God. To be in relationship with a person requires us to enter into that relationship.

     God "camped" in the midst of Israel. The tabernacle and the temple is the presence of God in the midst of Israel in the Old Testament. God could only be approached through the priest, and only the High Priest can approach his symbolic throne. Then, if you are not of the people of Israel, you must go through the Israelite "camps". This does not mean that God does not love those outside of the people of Israel. Being a father to your children does not mean hating other children. God does honor the non-Isaelites who pray to him in hopes that their prayers would be answered. However, they are still separated and don't enjoy the full blessings of the Israelites- God's special presence in their lives.

     As Christians, we believe that Jesus has superseded the temple. Jesus is the presence of God in the midst of all peoples. The church, the people who are in relationship or covenant with Jesus, stands before him. Everyone who wants to come to God, must come to Jesus. There are no more special class of people that are allowed to approach God, like how many people see the pastors and priests of today, as if somehow they are "closer" to the God of the universe. However, those who enter into relationship with Jesus, trusting him for a full life, stands in God's presence. Those who do not have a relationship with Jesus, although Jesus listens with compassion, still stands afar from God, whose presence is in Jesus.

     What's the point then? If you are someone who trusts Jesus for your life, you stand before him. Therefore, count it as a privelege that your prayers are a direct communication with God. For those outside of this relationship, Jesus listens to your prayers and invites you to his inner circle where a full life is found by walking with him in faith. This brings me to a comment about the practice of interfaith prayer. Interfaith prayer assumes that all people stand equally before God. I believe that is an error. The ones who stand directly before God are those who look at Jesus in faith. Those who do not entrust their lives to Jesus stand far off, separated from the benefits of living a full life God intends. Isn't that what we ultimately want? Not just answered prayers but a life lived with meaning, purpose, and an eternal connection.