Prayer is the pathway that leads to mercy. Look through the pages of sacred history, and you’ll see that almost every great blessing was preceded by earnest prayer. You’ve experienced this in your own life as well. Yes, God has often given you unexpected favors, but the greatest mercies have always come after seasons of deep prayer.
When you first discovered peace through the blood of the cross, it was after much prayer and pleading with God to remove your doubts and free you from distress. Your assurance was born out of prayer. Whenever you’ve tasted joy that lifted your soul, you’ve recognized it as an answer to prayer. When you’ve been rescued from serious troubles or protected in great danger, you’ve been able to say, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
Prayer always comes before blessing. It’s like the shadow cast by mercy before the light of God’s goodness shines on our need. When God builds a mountain of mercies, His light behind them casts the shadow of prayer across our hearts—reminding us that prayer is the sure sign of coming blessing.
This connection between prayer and blessing shows us the true value of prayer. If blessings came without asking, we might take them for granted. But prayer makes our mercies shine like precious jewels. The things we ask for are valuable, but we only realize their worth when we’ve sought them earnestly in prayer.
“Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw;
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
It strengthens faith and stirs up love;
It brings down blessings from above.”