What is prayer really about?
Chris Ramey
Guest columnist
Odds are you’ve wondered at one point what prayer is really about. Personally, I’ve been praying for something for a long time. After not hearing an answer for what feels like forever, I’ve caught myself wondering, “Why am I doing this?”
The truth is, prayer is about more than just a shopping list. God just wants to talk. He died to have a personal relationship with you and me—to know us intimately. He didn’t do it to be a magic genie or a gumball machine that spits out what we want whenever we pray.
The Bible has many verses that give us hope in God’s provision and that He answers prayer. But sometimes I get so caught up in those promises I forget He’s a personal, perfect God, with a perfect reason for why He hasn’t answered. Sometimes I just need to recognize that He is God. His ways are higher than our ways and we will not always understand them. It can be a challenge when things don’t go the way we hoped, but we need to fall back on the promise that God is faithful and He is good.
In those moments I’ve forgotten that God already answered my greatest need.
I get impatient when I don’t hear back. Sometimes I yell, mope, or disobey, but none of that’s new to God—David did it and so did many others. God loves us anyway, and while He disciplines those He loves, He still wants to talk. That becomes obvious when you read how much time Jesus spent talking with prostitutes and tax collectors.
The truth is, we are all sinners, but God loves us all the same. It’s amazing and beautiful how He uses our imperfection to show His perfection. It’s His strength in our weakness.
Matthew 6:33 challenges us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” The point is to seek Him. Get to know Him. Trust Him. Talk to Him.
Sometimes I get so focused on having my request to Christ answered that (sadly) when I don’t hear back my attitude becomes, “Well, if He’s not going to give me what I want, why bother praying?” In those moments I’ve forgotten that God already answered my greatest need. He forgave my sins and enabled me to pray, to know and love Him.
The amazing thing is that God, the God who knows you better than anyone, wants to talk to you.
God is not slow to answer prayer. His timing is perfect. He knows what we need. And He knows what we want—good or bad. What kind of dad would He be if He gave us what we asked, knowing we are not ready? Or if it would hurt us? Or distract us from Him? He wouldn’t be the perfect God we know and love. He wouldn’t be the God we need Him to be in our moments of weakness. Any dad knows that sometimes the right thing to tell your kid is “wait” or “no”. Our God understands this even better.
So why pray? What is the point of prayer? The amazing thing is that God, the God who knows you better than anyone, wants to talk to you.
God designed our lives to be in relationship with Him. Just like any relationship, part of those conversations involve asking for stuff. But the point of any relationship is to become closer. So, in prayer, I think the verse about seeking His kingdom serves as a reminder that prayer is about relationship. The provision that follows is a loving bonus.
Similar Articles
What is the measure of unity?
Ottawa is experiencing an unprecedented level of unity among congregations of every stripe and style. It makes me proud to live here and proud of the Church. Truly, we are experiencing the blessing promised to those who […]
An open letter to the readers of Spur Ottawa
When we launched Spur Ottawa, back in September 2015, our hope and vision was to have a news website that told some of the great stories we encountered and heard about through our connections with the Christian community around Ottawa—because there are many. We wanted to promote unity, stir passion, and to “spur one another on toward […]
Incivility: time to break the habit?
Shielded by the Internet’s anonymity, bloggers vent anger, launching unrestrained warfare with sneering words meant to humiliate those who disagree. We are too stressed out. The result: a feverish escalation of incivility and provocative attacks that often […]
The ancient mystery of prayer
Sunday morning. Wincing in pain, my wife groaned while holding a hand over one eye. She had never experienced eye pain like this. I looked closely, but it was neither red, nor inflamed. Still, it hurt fiercely.
Reflections on the year of vision
I’m thankful that I resisted the temptation to preach a sermon on “2020 Vision” back at the beginning of this year. Not that I didn’t have lots of plans for the year, but by Easter time it became clear that God had different plans for all of us, and for everyone […]
Recapturing life’s beauty
It was the most amazing half hour. At least, that’s what the little girl thought. Who would have guessed a trip to Mr. Lube could be so exciting? Yet there she was, in absolute wonder and awe-struck delight. As air guns blasted off rusted tire bolts and hoses […]
