Why Pray?
The Bible says, “Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the
gospel” Ephesians 6:18-19 (KJV)
One of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith is
that God wants us to talk to Him about everything that is going on in our lives, even though He already knows everything.
So why pray?
If you’ve ever wrestled with that question, perhaps the thoughts of the
19th-century preacher R. A. Torrey can help. Among the reasons he gave for prayer are these: Because there is a devil, and
prayer is a God-appointed way to resist Him (Ephesians 6:12-13, 18). Because prayer is God’s way for us to obtain what
we need from Him (Luke 11:3-13; James. 4:2). Because prayer is the means God has appointed for us to find “grace to
help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Because prayer with thanksgiving is God’s way for us to obtain freedom from
anxiety and to receive “the peace of God” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Besides
these reasons, it's enough to read the command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing,” and realize that
God wants us to talk with Him. Yes, He is all-knowing, but He also desires our fellowship. When we seek God’s
face in prayer, we strengthen our relationship with Him. That’s the most important reason to pray.
Daily Chronological Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1-5