To Whom Do You Pray

Do you pray to someone you assume is now in heaven with Jesus? Someone like those listed in Hebrews, Chapter Eleven, whose lives were outstanding in God's eyes? The list begins with Abel then goes on to name Enos, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Samuel and all the prophets! (Heb. 11:1-38).

Following that list, we read that all those who had obtained a good report by faith had not yet been made perfect. Why? So that in the future those who followed in their footsteps might be gathered together with them. In this way all of the faithful might be made perfect together - at the same time! (Heb. 11:39-40).

Are you praying to the dead? I am seventy-five years old now and my mother died when I was six years old. Has she been busy watching over me all these years? I hope not! Wouldn't it be better if she could now be peacefully resting in Jesus?

Paul encourages us by speaking about a future resurrection when God will bring with Him "those who sleep in Jesus...for the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (I Thess. 4:13-18).

So I would never think of praying to my mother or to anyone else's mother. They are all "sleeping in Jesus". They are not on a switch board taking 911 calls. That is not their problem; that is Jesus' job. He is at God's right hand interceding for us. (Rom 8:34).

When God sent Peter to preach to a gentile named Cornelius, Cornelius dropped to his knees to worship Peter. But Peter raised him up and said, "Don't do it, I am only a man." (Acts 10:25).

When a lame man was healed as Paul was ministering, the gentile priests of a pagan religion were so impressed they were going to worship Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas ran among them and cried out, "Don't do it, we are only men like yourselves. We just came to tell you about the living God who made heaven and earth and everything in it!" (Acts 14:8-16).

When God sent an angel to show John things about the future, John fell down before him to worship him. But the angel said, "Don't do it, I am a fellow servant of God just as you are" And then he said, "Worship God." (Rev. 22:8-9).

Jesus, on the other hand, encourages us all to come to Him for our help. He is always ready for the 911 calls. He said, "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt, 11:28).

"He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...He was wounded for our transgressions...by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all " (Isa. 53:3-6).

Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you...and I will come again to receive you to myself, that where I am there you may be also...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man can come to the Father, except by me" (John 14:1-6).