Why Pray?

On Sunday, while preaching about prayer from Luke 18:1-8, Isaid Jesus gives us an answer to the question of why pray. I said that with hisquestion in verse 8 about finding faith when he returns, Jesus emphasizes thatprayer and our faith are intertwined. Prayer is an expression of our faith. Weneed to pray because we need the opportunity to express and grow in our faith.

This, however, is not the only reason to pray. Jesus says inJohn 16:23-24, “Truly, truly, I say to you,whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until nowyou have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy maybe full.” Jesus implies that we ought to pray because God responds to ourprayers. James even says, “You do not have, because you do not ask” (4:2). Welearn from Scripture that God responds to prayer.

Now, at this point, we must confess that this is mysterious.The Bible teaches God responds to our prayers. The Bible also teaches that Godis in control of all things and knows all things (even future events). He“works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11). “Nothingin all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Heb. 4:13, NIV). So how does Godsovereignly control all things while being open to responding to our prayers?

To press for an answer to this question that satisfies humanlogic, I believe, would jeopardize either the truth of God’s sovereignty or thetruth of God’s responsiveness to our prayers. We must rest in the mystery ofhow God works. One way of understanding these things is listening to the wordsof Paul in Ephesians 2:10, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus forgood works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Prayeris included in the “good works” for which we have been created. God has“prepared” these “beforehand.” They are all in the working of God’s plan forall eternity. But we need to “walk in them,” to take the responsibility toengage in the good works for which we have been created. So, prayer is part ofGod’s sovereign plan, and prayer is our act of faith to appeal to God torespond to our specific situations.

God has given us the joy and privilege to be people ofprayer. We not only declare our faith in God through prayer, but also wereceive the joy of watching God respond to our prayers. Why pray? Because Goddelights to extend his grace to those who humble themselves before him inprayer. God responds to prayer.