Grace is the free keeping-work of God to sustain our spiritual life that leads to everlasting joy. The means of grace is our keeping ourselves in the love of God. God s keeping inspires and sustains our keeping. His keeping is decisive and our keeping is dependent on his. Which brings us now to prayer.
Prayer is the breathing of the Christian life.
Notice in verses 20-21 that prayer is one of the ways we are to keep ourselves in the love of God. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God. Shortened down, it says, By praying, keep yourselves in the love of God. Therefore, prayer is a crucial and essential means of grace that God ordains to keep us safe for eternal life. That would be like saying, Since God is the decisive giver and sustainer of life, I don t need to breathe.