Prayer is communication with God. God is our creator and it is good to find out what he wants and it is good to tell God what we need. After all, he might have mercy and grant us our request. That is the core of prayer. People who believe in God come to him, thanking him and bringing supplication.
Prayer is the most important and valuable communication we have. If we are on the good side of someone on earth, that is valuable, but if God is against us, we are in trouble. This is why all people of all nations and all religions have developed a system of prayer. So the Hindus pray to their gods, the Buddhists pray to their ancestors for good things to happen, Muslims pray, Jews pray, Christians pray and even those who have no particular religious belief or system will find themselves praying during a time of trouble.
Of course, as a Christian, I believe that the only being who can hear prayers and do something about them is the God revealed in the Bible. During the Puerto Rico storms, President Obama got on TV and claimed to be sending strength and prayers to the people over there. That is a strange way of saying he is thinking supportive thoughts. No one on secular TV can say that they are praying to the God of the Bible for mercy for those in Puerto Rico. If they did, that would raise all sorts of questions. Questions about God causing the storms or the people of Puerto Rico being punished in some way. An entire list of theological questions would need to be answered and no one wants to do that, so vague words of supportive prayer are used and everyone nods in approval.
But real prayer to the real living, listening God can make things happen. There are millions of stories of believers praying for guidance, healing, safety, children, finances, employment or anything else that burdens our hearts. God wants us to bring it all to him. When God answers it, it is an act of grace and mercy. Grace because any favor from God is undeserved and mercy because the only thing we have earned is wrath.
Prayer is not a vending machine, it is not plugging into a power plant, it is not driving in the fast lane, and it is not sitting on your father’s lap. It is communicating with your creator and God and what he does in response to the prayers of his people is up to him. He will always answer prayers in his Word. Therefore anyone who is praying and not reading their Bible will miss what God is saying. He will also answer through circumstances and events. We pray for a job for an unemployed relative and they get a job…an answer to prayer. Rarely, very rarely will he answer audibly or with a thought or an idea. Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving are also recommended and highly valuable.
Prayer is the most important and valuable communication we have. If we are on the good side of someone on earth, that is valuable, but if God is against us, we are in trouble. This is why all people of all nations and all religions have developed a system of prayer. So the Hindus pray to their gods, the Buddhists pray to their ancestors for good things to happen, Muslims pray, Jews pray, Christians pray and even those who have no particular religious belief or system will find themselves praying during a time of trouble.
Of course, as a Christian, I believe that the only being who can hear prayers and do something about them is the God revealed in the Bible. During the Puerto Rico storms, President Obama got on TV and claimed to be sending strength and prayers to the people over there. That is a strange way of saying he is thinking supportive thoughts. No one on secular TV can say that they are praying to the God of the Bible for mercy for those in Puerto Rico. If they did, that would raise all sorts of questions. Questions about God causing the storms or the people of Puerto Rico being punished in some way. An entire list of theological questions would need to be answered and no one wants to do that, so vague words of supportive prayer are used and everyone nods in approval. But real prayer to the real living, listening God can make things happen. There are millions of stories of believers praying for guidance, healing, safety, children, finances, employment or anything else that burdens our hearts. God wants us to bring it all to him. When God answers it, it is an act of grace and mercy. Grace because any favor from God is undeserved and mercy because the only thing we have earned is wrath.
Prayer is not a vending machine, it is not plugging into a power plant, it is not driving in the fast lane, and it is not sitting on your father’s lap. It is communicating with your creator and God and what he does in response to the prayers of his people is up to him. He will always answer prayers in his Word. Therefore anyone who is praying and not reading their Bible will miss what God is saying. He will also answer through circumstances and events. We pray for a job for an unemployed relative and they get a job…an answer to prayer. Rarely, very rarely will he answer audibly or with a thought or an idea. Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving are also recommended and highly valuable.
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