Here is Part 2 of a 3 part series on prayer written by Nancy McFadyen
Prayer has always been a huge part of my life and it has nothing to do with being spiritual. It has everything to do with being weak, inadequate, feeling lost and ignorant. “Help” was my main prayer vocabulary back when I was young in Christ and it still seems to be a well used word today. As I learned back then to “lose my life” in Christ, maturing a little more each day, I discovered something amazing. God was actually a tender-hearted, merciful, patient, ‘doting over your kid ’kind of Father. Because he is that kind of Father he really, really wants us to get to know Him. I mean really know Him. He already knows us but as you may know, a one-way relationship isn’t very meaningful.
So we have this thing called prayer and it is kind of funny because God already knows what we are going to say before we even pray it. So why does the bible stress that we should “pray without ceasing”? Certainly it is to make our needs known, and certainly we have to humble ourselves to come to God with a respectful heart, but I really think it goes deeper than that. There has to be more in that He already knows what our needs, wants, and struggles are. Have you ever wondered about that? I have found several reasons other than the obvious that just maybe you will find interesting, if not helpful.
1) The Gospel in Matthew says, “Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened unto you”. To me that is a picture of someone diligently pursuing the heart of God and God promising to respond. You ask and He gives (or not), you seek and He helps you find, you knock and he opens a door (or closes one). That is a 2-way communication going on that is very cool. It shows us the give and take relationship God desires with us – just like a friendship. That is why Jesus said in John 15, “I call you not servants, but friends”. And if He calls us friends then I think it is safe to say that part of the purpose of prayer is to build a friendship with our Father, the Creator of the universe. If you think about that a little you might find that fact absolutely amazing. Even absurd. It boggles my mind, yet delights my heart that God wants me to know Him.
2) A second purpose to consider is this: God wants us to be co-laborers with Him in advancing the Kingdom. Prayer and intercession are in fact co-laboring with our Maker. When we grasp that concept we find ourselves on our knees, for we know all too well how inadequate we are for the job. As it says in John 14, “without Him we can do nothing”.
3) I believe anther purpose for prayer has to do with Jesus showing His love in personal, tender ways. Scripture says to cast all your care on Him for He cares for you. When he answers specific requests in specific ways we realize just how personal He is and how he delights in blessing us.
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