DAY 1: THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER

Over the years I’ve been asked a question about prayer many times: “If God already knows our thoughts and our needs, why should we pray?” In section one of “Lord, Hear Our Cry,” my desire is to help you understand the exciting, enriching experience of prayer and the great power available to you through prayer.

Prayer is an open invitation that Jesus offers; not simply to the super-saints or the spiritually elite. Every follower of Jesus, every child of the heavenly Father, is welcomed into His presence through prayer.

Prayer is not a magic formula, a good luck wish, or some kind of spiritual lottery. Instead, it is a vital, living relationship with God. It is a promise for believers and an avenue through which we receive what God desires to give. Our heavenly Father waits for us and welcomes us when we are in His presence in prayer. With that encouragement in mind, let’s examine the biblical reasons for prayer.

“At its core, Christianity is all about the relationship between God and those whom He created. But because God is spirit in nature, we can’t relate to Him as we would a friend whom we can see and hear and meet for coffee on a Tuesday afternoon. No, the way we commune with God—the vehicle for fellowship with Him—is prayer.

In the same way you would foster a relationship with another human through quality time and communication, you can strengthen your relationship with God by communicating frequently with Him through prayer. You can learn of God’s character through prayer. You can learn of His preferences, His plans for your life, and His activity in the world by prayer. And it is by prayer that you can play a role in His ushering heaven down to earth. Too often we view prayer as transactional—we pray only when we need God’s help with a specific problem. For example, a loved one becomes ill or we run into financial trouble so we call out to God to help us in that specific situation. While God certainly hears these requests, His deepest desire is to have ongoing fellowship with us through prayer.

Years ago I was shown a very simple diagram illustrating the purpose of prayer. At the top was the throne of God, and at the bottom were followers of Christ. On the right-hand side was a steady stream of plans that God wished to accomplish on earth, and on the left-hand side, a steady stream of prayers, prayed by faithful men and women of God.

The implication of the image was this: the essence of prayer is a loop in which our heavenly Father, by His Spirit, places requests and petitions on our hearts, only for us to offer them back to Him. What begins in heaven returns to heaven, via the mysterious power of prayer. In this way, prayer is not working to change our Father’s mind; it is instead finding the mind of God.

I think most of us would say our prayer life isn’t what it ought to be. I encounter many committed Christians who have struggled with maintaining a regular prayer life. I pray this book will be a great encouragement and help to you as you seek to strengthen your prayer life and your relationship with God.”