Many people ask the question: “Why should we pray when God already knows what we’re going to say?” This is a valid question that needs an answer.
In the Bible, we read these words from Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV), “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
As a young boy, I remember asking my mother this question: “If God knows what I’m thinking, why is it so important to Him, that I talk to Him? She told me in simpler terms, but what she was saying was, “Because prayer is one of the main ways you develop a connection with God. In prayer, you’re talking with Him, not just to Him.” That made perfect sense to me then, and it still resonates in my heart, mind and spirit today.
God wants a personal relationship with us where we can tell Him whatever we want to tell Him; how we feel, how we hurt, what we need, and the list goes on and on.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV), “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
It’s interesting that Paul does not say that when we bring our concerns to God, God will give us peace by explaining or resolving every situation we bring to Him. Instead, he mentions that the peace of God in our hearts and minds is somehow more likely to satisfy us and ease our fears than if He fixed or explained everything to us immediately.
Through prayer, we develop a trusting relationship with God. Then, over time, we also learn to recognize His voice as He speaks to us. The Bible clearly shows Him choosing to act in response to the prayers of His people.
Through prayer, God transforms our hearts so that having our requests fulfilled becomes secondary, to feeling truly known by God, and that we are precious to Him. We need to develop the habit of talking with God as we would a personal friend.
Blessings,
Pastor Chuck
In the Bible, we read these words from Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV), “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
As a young boy, I remember asking my mother this question: “If God knows what I’m thinking, why is it so important to Him, that I talk to Him? She told me in simpler terms, but what she was saying was, “Because prayer is one of the main ways you develop a connection with God. In prayer, you’re talking with Him, not just to Him.” That made perfect sense to me then, and it still resonates in my heart, mind and spirit today.
God wants a personal relationship with us where we can tell Him whatever we want to tell Him; how we feel, how we hurt, what we need, and the list goes on and on.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV), “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
It’s interesting that Paul does not say that when we bring our concerns to God, God will give us peace by explaining or resolving every situation we bring to Him. Instead, he mentions that the peace of God in our hearts and minds is somehow more likely to satisfy us and ease our fears than if He fixed or explained everything to us immediately.
Through prayer, we develop a trusting relationship with God. Then, over time, we also learn to recognize His voice as He speaks to us. The Bible clearly shows Him choosing to act in response to the prayers of His people.
Through prayer, God transforms our hearts so that having our requests fulfilled becomes secondary, to feeling truly known by God, and that we are precious to Him. We need to develop the habit of talking with God as we would a personal friend.
Blessings,
Pastor Chuck
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