You Are Never Interrupting God

Have you ever needed to talk to someone but hesitated because you didn’t want to bother them?

Maybe it was too late to call. Maybe they already had enough on their plate. Maybe you wondered whether what you needed to say was important enough to take up their time.

We understand those limitations in our relationships with people. But sometimes, without realizing it, we carry those same concerns into our relationship with God.

We wait until we can find a quiet place. Until we can gather our thoughts. Until we feel a little more worthy, a little less emotional, or a little more certain of what to say.

But we don’t have to wait.

The God of the universe—the Creator of everything—has made a way for us to come to Him freely through Jesus.

And we are never interrupting Him.

An Audience with the King

Think about Esther. She was married to the king, yet even she could not simply walk into his presence whenever she wanted.

Approaching him without being summoned could cost her life unless he extended his golden scepter. Before taking that risk, Esther asked her people to fast for three days, and she fasted too. Being queen did not give her unrestricted access to her own husband. (Esther 4:11–16.)

Imagine having something desperately important to say and knowing that even approaching the person who could help was dangerous.

But our King invites us to come.

Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, knowing we can receive mercy and find help in our time of need. Ephesians 3:12 reminds us that this access comes through faith in Christ.

We don’t have to stand outside wondering whether we will be welcome.

Through Jesus, the invitation is already ours.

You Can Come as You Are

You don’t need specific words.

You don’t need specific clothes.

You don’t have to kneel, stand, fold your hands, or close your eyes before He will listen. Those things can help us focus or express reverence, but they are not admission requirements.

You can speak to Him while washing dishes, sitting in a waiting room, folding laundry, or lying awake in the dark.

There is no minimum number of words that makes a prayer count. There is no maximum beyond which you have taken too much of His time.

Sometimes you have a great deal to say. Sometimes all you can manage is, “Lord, help me.”

You can bring Him both.

You don’t have to organize every thought before you begin. You can tell Him what hurts while it still hurts. You can ask for help while you are still unsure what help should look like.

You can thank Him in the middle of an ordinary afternoon, simply because something reminded you of His goodness.

He Is Never Too Busy

It is remarkable to consider who is listening when we pray.

The One who made the stars. The One who formed the oceans. The One whose creation stretches far beyond anything we can see or comprehend.

We have access to Him.

We don’t have to compete for His attention or convince Him that our concerns deserve a place in His day. Someone else’s greater need does not make us less welcome in His presence.

That access does not mean every answer comes immediately or in the way we hoped. But we can bring our needs to Him immediately. We can keep coming while we wait.

So today, whatever you are carrying, you can begin right where you are.

In your work clothes. In your pajamas. With a carefully written prayer or an unfinished sentence.

You are coming before the King of all creation.

And because of Jesus, you are welcome.