And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
(John 1.14
NRSV)
Barth would have none of it, however. Barth denied that either prayer or ritual had anything at all to do with redemption. Neither of these will save us, he insisted. He said that for himself he knew that he hung suspended between heaven and hell. He knew that the weight of his sins would most certainly sink him to hell. Only the intervention of the supreme act of grace wrought in Christ would ever be sufficient to lift him. Only Christ could overcome the terrible gravitational force of his sin. He stated that this act of Jesus Christ was enough, that anything else was utterly irrelevant, and that anyone who wasted his time or trust on these practices was to be pitied.
Barth obviously overstated his case. There is a very meaningful place for prayer and personal devotion in the Christian life. But, the point is well taken: Our prayers won't save us. Our perfect attendance in worship won't save us. Only one power in Heaven or earth can save us--that is the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Dear Jesus, thank you for bringing me God’s grace of love. Amen.