Listen to the prayers of the saints! They are not full of pride, but they are full of confidence in Christ. On their best days, they see themselves as the chief of sinners, and still in desperate need of a Savior. 

Have you ever really listened to the prayers of the saints? What do you hear? We see many of these prayers in God’s word, and we hear them prayed at our local gatherings. And I’m instructed by these prayers. When I listen to older, faithful saints, I learn about what it takes to live the Christian life to the end. When I listen to younger, zealous saints, I’m reminded of the beauty and preeminence of Christ. What will we hear as we listen to the prayers of the saints?

If you listen to the prayers of the faithful, you will hear prayers that acknowledge weakness. They are prayers of confession and contrition. These are not prayers that involve self-exaltation and back-patting, but rather prayers of humility and chest-beating. Just listen next time and see how many times you hear the words help, have mercy, and be gracious.

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