Why pray?
Tim Davies
What is prayer?
Prayer is quite simply talking to God. I know that's a very obvious thing to say but it's worth saying because it's common for Christians these days to think we can also listen to God in prayer. I don't know about you but I find it very difficult to listen to others at the same time as talking to them! The Bible is clear that prayer is talking to God. In order to listen to God we listen to his word - the Bible.
Why pray?
Friendship with God is one the great hallmarks of Christianity. Sadly however, because of our rebellion against God, none of us are naturally God's friends. We have no rights whatsoever to speak to him about anything or to ask for anything! Amazingly though, when stop rebelling against God and trust Jesus' death to be for our rebellion against God then God welcomes us into friendship. Not any old friendship but into his family. To all who believe in Jesus, he gives the right to become God's children (John 1:12). Children who call God, as Jesus taught his followers to pray, 'Our Father' (Matthew 5:9).
Prayer is a privilege we could never earn, a gift that we don't deserve. Why do Christians pray? Because we can! The impossible has been made possible by Jesus Christ.
But if God is God, if he's sovereign, that is ruler of the entire universe, if he already knows what will be, if he's already decided what won't be, then why bother praying?
Why pray if God is sovereign?
The Bible is very clear about God's rule. He works everything out for his own ends. In our hearts we may make our plans for the future but God determines every step we take along the way (Proverbs 16:4, 9, 33). Why pray if God is sovereign? Because he is, is the simple answer! What's the point of praying to a God who is not sovereign? A God who is not in control is no good to anybody. He's certainly not worth praying to!
Amazingly the God who is sovereign is the God that Christians come to know as Father. The Bible calls us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand (he's sovereign, 1 Peter 5:6) and then it invites us to cast all our anxieties on him because we matter to him (1 Peter 5:7, he's Father). Week by week the reality of this relationship is something the Christian experiences. Sunday by Sunday, at Central, we hope that interested inquirers into the Christian faith will be drawn to share the privilege with us - to join God's family.