The Price of Prayer

“Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’”
2 Samuel 24:1

“Now David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people So David said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.’” 2 Samuel 24:10

“So Gad came to David that day and said to him, ‘Go up, erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’ David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the LORD had commanded. Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king. Then Araunah said, ‘Why has my lord the king come to his servant?’ And David said, ‘To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be held back from the people.’ Araunah said to David, ‘Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.’ And Araunah said to the king, ‘May the LORD your God accept you.’ However, the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.”
2 Samuel 24:18-25

In numbering the people of Israel, David shifted his trust from faith in God’s ability to human resources. And in His anger, God sent a pestilence that killed 70,000 men. “When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented....And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, ‘Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me...’”
(2 Samuel 24:16-17).

When David realized his sin, he went to God in prayer (verse 10). And when God withdrew His anger, David prayed once again. He purchased the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite so he could offer sacrifices and said: “I will surely buy it [the threshing floor] from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing” (verse 24).

When your back is against the wall and every avenue closed up before you, do you say a quick prayer to gain relief, or do you offer prayer that costs you something? David humbled his heart before God, and the Lord heard his cry.

Through prayer we recognize our dependence on God.