… your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Summary: “Why pray?” is a question with a million answers. We look at a few of them in today’s meditation.
If Father knows what we need before we ask him, why pray?
Usually, I try to stick to the text fairly closely. In this meditation, I am going to wander a bit. Think of this as a walk around the park, and in the middle of the park is this gigantic statue of the Lord’s Prayer. As we walk around the park, we will look at the statue from different angles and different views. Each view will offer a different perspective on the Prayer. So let’s begin…
One reason we pray is that we feel a need to pray. Our hearts yearn for God (Psalm 84: 2). It is like being with someone we like; we want to share what is in our hearts and on our minds with them.
Another reason is being afraid (Genesis 32:11). The world can be a scary place. When we suddenly find ourselves in deep waters, there is only one place to turn for hope, and that is God.
Sometimes I pray-se. (Sorry, that is a “praise pun.” 🙂 ) I want to express my faith in God and my joy in knowing the Lord. This often happens during our church gatherings, but it can be something that overtakes us in the car, on a walk, or washing dishes.
One thing I have noticed about prayer is that it acts as a marker or milestone. Some parks have markers every quarter mile or so along their paths. It is fun to see how far your walk has taken you. It is also helpful to know how far you have come in case you are going back the same way.
Some markers are a different kind of measure, like a stopwatch. Measuring the time to walk around the park is a way of gauging how fast you are going. Are you slacking off today, or keeping up the pace?
A prayer marker is a request that we give to God, the same God who “knows what you need before you ask him.” If God gives us what we need and it is something we have asked for, we can see God’s hand at work in our lives. If we don’t ask, it becomes easy to take what God gives us for granted. By praying, “Give us this day our daily bread” we create a mental marker. It is an acknowledgment that we need food. When we go to the refrigerator and discover that there is food there, we make a connection between what we have asked for and what we need.
A few weeks back, I wanted some direction from God in dealing with a personal problem. I prayed about it and asked God for guidance. Then I went on with my day and, frankly, I forgot about it. You know how it is? Life happens and things get busy and… Squirrel!! I find myself distracted by this and that.
But the need was real. I really needed God’s guidance on what to do. It had just slipped my mind for the moment. Later that day, quite late actually, I was listening to a podcast. It was one that I hadn’t listened to before, and the path that led me to this particular podcast was rather serendipitous. As I was listening, I learned some things I didn’t know, and it reminded me of some things I had forgotten. About then I remembered the prayer that I had prayed that morning. What I was hearing was answering my need for guidance.
Coincidence?
Accident?
I don’t think so. But one thing I am certain of is that if I hadn’t prayed for guidance, I wouldn’t have been as attuned to my need. I might not have followed the clues that led to the podcast, or perhaps I would have missed the podcast altogether. If I had found it and listened, whether I learned something or not, I would not have connected it with God meeting my need.
Application: Put your prayer marker down. Ask the Father for what you need.
Food for Thought: If God makes it rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, who appreciates it more; the one who prays for rain or the one who believes in coincidences?
I think the answer was well stated in your devotion. The one who understands their need and asks of the Lord will by nature be more in tune with the answer and the Provider. We are often told to give thanks (Psalm 136 for example). The one who asks is more likely to recognize God’s work and give thanks. I had prayed with a number of people about the fire that was threatening their home. As the fire has diminished and people returned home, I noticed that those I prayed with were texting me praising God for the answer. From what I understand, all homes have been spared. But those who sought the Lord also praised Him for the answer. This allows them to live in the center of His will and glorify His name (1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 18).
Rich,
Great illustration! Yes, those who prayed had someone to thank for sparing their homes. It brings into focus God’s grace and mercy.
10-19-2022, Matthew 5:8, If God makes it rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, who appreciates it more; the one who prays for rain or the one who believes in coincidences?
All those who truly know the Lord through Christ, know where all things in life come from and have a greater appreciation for all our God does for us each day. This would include blessings through testing or providing for our needs in abundance. Those who believe in coincidences has no appreciation for a coincidence.
Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Ron,
I love the Romans 8:28 verse! I have also found that as my faith in God has grown, my belief in coincidences has diminished.
Reading today’s blog reminded me of this verse:
Proverbs 16:2-3 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
I once had a discussing with a young man about praying for the desires of your heart. He jokingly said he was going to pray for a Lamborghini. I advised him to really think about what he was praying for. The desire of his heart would be the image that he sees for himself: driving around in a cool car possibly attracting the envy and fascination of others.
The one who prays for rain is really praying for sustenance, or a means to it. Receiving the rain, or even not the rain but the means to sustenance would serve to bolster their trust and dependence on God. It would serve to bring that person closer to God.
The one that received the rain without prayer may be thankful, but not really make the connection between God and nature, and most likely they would not understand that God is providing for them. Also though, receiving that rain may be something that awakens that person’s understanding of God’s presence in their lives.
I have found that more and more, I pray for things and it prepares my heart for what is to come. Rain or no rain, my prayers are answered and I am ready for the answer or what is to come.
Chris,
Thank you! If I understand your point, an answer to prayer might include “No,” similar to God’s answer to Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 36-46).
I am going with the one that prayed for rain would appreciate it more.
As one that has been praying for rain, I know I will appreciate it when the Lord let’s loose His rain, because the earth will soften up and it won’t be so hard on my employees pulling concrete sets out of the ground. The dryness of the earth has put a stranglehold on the concrete sets, so rain will be much appreciated in that department as well as many other departments like the wild fires burning, the plants that need some drink and so on.
God knows what He is doing, what get’s me is how He can decipher all those prayers people are praying to Him all at once. It must sound like a lot of jibberish, imagine millions of people talking to you at once and it’s your job to figure out what they are all saying because you will be answering them all in one way or the other. I am soo glad I don’t have His job, listening to everyone ask for this, moan about that, complain, whine and cry. I get enough of that from the family. Whoops, I think I got a little of track. Still going with the one that prayed for rain, out of all those voices calling out to Him, I know He has heard me and will answer in His time.
John,
You paint an interesting picture! How does God do it? How does he listen to all of us at once? More to the point, how does he balance out what to do? One person prays for rain, another prays for dry weather. The answer, I think, has to do with trusting God.