Why We Pray

Let’s change the title of today’s devotion for just a moment. Instead of “Why we pray” let’s drop one word and it will change everything. Let’s begin with the question “Why pray?” Have you ever had that thought? I’m guessing you have at some point in your life. Perhaps when you were a new Christian and you were learning so much about the life of faith. Or maybe as you grew and you came to learn about God’s Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence and you wrestled with the idea of why we need to pray to an all knowing God. “Like He needs me to tell Him something? Yea, right!” Or you have prayed, you have agonized, you have pleaded with God and nothing, I mean NOTHING has happened. So, why pray? Great question. Let’s see if we can answer it in a few paragraphs.

The very first reference to prayer in the Bible is in Genesis 20:7. God is telling Abimelech that Abraham would “pray for you, and you shall live.” With this we are introduced to a profound truth – God works through the prayers of His people. Let’s dig a little deeper into this truth. In the book Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets has written: “God chose, from the time of Creation, to work on earth through humans, not independent of them. He always has and always will, even at the cost of becoming one. Though God is sovereign and all-powerful, Scripture clearly tells us that He limited Himself, concerning the affairs of earth, to working through human beings.” (pp. 28-29) Prayer is how God works in us and through us.

Think about it. We are to ask for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done (Matt. 6:10). It is His plan to accomplish these things but it is our prayers that bring them to pass. We are to ask for our daily bread even though He knows our needs even before we ask for them. We are to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9:38). We pray this way knowing that God is the Lord of the Harvest. Elijah prayed for the fire to fall and the rain to come. Why did Elijah pray? Why didn’t God just zap the altar with fire as soon as it was prepared? Because GOD WORKS THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE. Whoa, caps lock – what’s up with the shouting? Because it is something to shout about! Do you get it? If something is going to happen it is going to happen in response to our prayers.

Andrew Murray said: “God’s giving is inseparably connected with our asking…Only by intercession can that power be brought down from heaven which will enable the church to conquer the world.” The Bible very clearly tells us “You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2). Why pray? Because it is God’s will for accomplishing His plan. There is one more important reason to pray – but we will have to discover that tomorrow.

As you pray today remember this – “Thou are coming to a King; large petitions with thee bring. For His grace and power are such; none can ever ask too much!”

Could your lack of prayer be hindering God’s work?

Pray my friend, pray!