Pastor Jose V. Velasco
Anything we freely receive as a favor to benefit us is a gift. The act and practice of prayer is a gift because we human beings did not invent or devise it. As far as anthropologists can reachback into history they say that, regardless of culture, there have always been some signs that human beings worldwide generally worship and pray. The conclusion is it is instinctive to pray to a god. God-believers would say that the creator has infused into the human system the capacity to pray. It is a given, a gift. It is commonly known and understood that prayer is speaking withGod or a god.
Prayer was practiced by the people in the Old Testament. Jesus practiced and urged people to pray. The early Christians prayed. Paul advised believers to “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17). He also said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present you requests to God” (Phil. 4:6). This is how intensely important prayer is in life.
There are some confusing misconceptions about Prayer. One is prayer is to inform God about our ideas and needs. Is God ignorant of our ideas and needs that He must be informed? No. “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord” (Ps. 139:4). Regarding our material needs Jesus said, “- - do not worry about it. - - your Father knows that you need them” (Lk. 12:29-30). As a loving Father, God is more than pleased to grant us our needs. Two is to pray to remind and urge God to answer our desires. This is what the prophets of Baal were doing during the sacrificial contest on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:26-29). But Baal, their god, seemed reluctant to answer. In contrast we believe God knows what is best for us and He is ever willing to grant them to us. Three is praying to change God’s mind and purpose. We may feel our ideas and plans are better than God’s so we ask Him to reconsider His plans. But the merits of His plans for us are super. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11).
Now if God knows our needs, even better that we do, why do we still need to pray? First, to acknowledge God’s supreme power and wisdom, unconditional love and unfailing provisions of all our needs, materially and spiritually. This is the part of prayer where we thank and glorify God for His greatness and goodness. So we say, hallowed be your name. Note that thisprecedes everything else. Second, to affirm God’s will in our petitions. We pray for physical health because Jesus healed the sick. We pray for the life and ministry of the church because Jesus established it to carry on His continuing ministry on earth. We pray for world peace because all people are God’s children and must live in love and harmony. And so on. So our prayers of petition must conform to Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Third, to tighten, deepen and vitalize our relationship with God. Even in human relationship regular pleasant communication accomplishes this. Without it the relationship slowly wanes and disappears. It just remains
dormant and nominal in the mind. Sadly this is the quality of relationship a lot of people have with God. But it doesn’t make much difference in their life.
Prayer: Lord, teach us to pray. Create in us the fervent desire to pray. Through prayer transform and empower our lives. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
