Why pray?

Recently I was talking to someone on prayer and as part of our conversation I reminded them God knows what we’re going to pray. So the question that naturally came out of this was if God is sovereign (which He is!), why pray?

Have you ever thought of that?

I was reading the comments of a fellow pastor recently and he remarked that he was going through a challenging season in his life then made this statement: “I probably don’t petition God like I should, but I just believe he will do what he is going to do anyway.” I wonder, is that faith, or fatalism?

You need to know, I believe in the sovereignty of God. So if God is in control of all things and nothing can change what He’s going to do, again, why pray? Is it like what one commentator said: “prayer is nice but unnecessary”? We read in Matthew 6:8 that God the father knows what we need before we ask. So, why do it?

Because God wants us to.

In that same section of scripture, where we find the very famous Lord’s Prayer taught by Jesus, He starts by saying, WHEN you pray (Matt.6:5). So we are commanded to pray. While some would say that is reason enough I believe there’s more to this. Each of God’s commands are designed for more than just being a rule. They’re for our good, they show God’s character and they bring glory to Him. So when we pray we acknowledge both God’s grace and power, that He is gracious and kind enough to listen to our prayers, that we’re not a nuisance to Him, and He is powerful enough to do something about it. The scriptures are full of examples of earnest prayers answered. Think of Hannah’s prayer for a son (1 Samuel 1:10-20). So we need to pray and pray earnestly.

There’s a great parable Jesus shares in the Gospel of Luke which I believe sheds light on this issue. We read: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)

I wonder, after reading this, if there are times when God waits to act until there is prayer. The passage seems to indicate that God specifically responds to the purposeful pleas of His people. He is a God who hears and responds. If an impassive judge will respond to a widow how much more will a Heavenly Father who delights to give good gifts to His children respond? (Matt.7:11)

We read in the Scriptures that we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2…but see below!) but there is a caveat: if we ask according to God’s WILL (1 John 5:14-15) He hears us. That’s the kicker. How many times do we ask God according to OUR will and expect Him to align with ours? We don’t get because we ask, sadly, with the wrong motives. (James 4:3) There are many times I’ve prayed things that if God had answered the way I wanted it would have been a disaster. Thank God (literally!!) that He said no.

So God is in control, but He also wants us to ask. Keep praying, keep asking and trust in Him that He’ll sort it all out. That works for me and I hope it does for you too!