subject: Misunderstandings About Prayer [print this page] I have read many articles about prayer recently and it seems that a lot of people have many misconceptions. This article will probably get a lot of negative response for me but I need to speak the truth. People who dont want to hear the truth will never hear it anyway so I am not concerned about changing the concepts of the entire world. I do think that I can provide some insight to someone out there who is sincere about their relationship with God and improving it.
The first thing that I want to address is this; God is not our goody dispenser in the sky. Most people seem to think that life will always be a bed of roses and when we want something God is there like a waiter hovering around our table to deliver. First of all we are here for his pleasure he is not there for ours. We need to understand that we need him, he doesnt need us.
How would you like it if the only time that your child only spoke to you when they wanted you to give them something? If they never said hello, good morning, or how are you? This is the relationship that many of us have with God which is not a relationship at all. If we believe that God is the creator of the universe how is it that we feel that his only job is to be available to cater to our wants?
The purpose of prayer is to draw us closer to God. If we pray with this purpose then we will pray for his will to be done in this earth rather than our own. Sometimes it is just not convenient for us to have the things that we think that God should give. If he is the creator of the universe then the welfare of his universe comes before our own welfare. The key is to cultivate a relationship. You want to please the one that you love rather than yourself. We need to cultivate our relationship with God just as we cultivate our relationship with others that we love. The purpose of praying is to spend time with God in an endeavor to get to know him better and to enjoy his company.
The time will come in life when we have needs which we have to take to God in prayer. When that time comes I want to be like the child who the parents know that they can count on. Any parent is more than happy to help out the obedient child when he or she asks for it. The disobedient child may get help when he or she asks or they may not. Most parents will help after a lecture but if the child needs tough love the parents who really love him will not necessarily cater to his needs.
You do need to ask in order to receive because asking humbles you and reminds you of your correct position in relationship to God. He is the greater and he alone holds the power to either give or withhold. If he gives it will only be in accordance with his will. We dont always know what is best for us but he does. Remember that he knows the future and any request that he honors will have our future well being in mind as well as the well being of others.
Even when we know what his will is for our lives we must ask. God has given us his authority to be his voice in this earth so that when we pray we need to pray for his will rather than our own. Yes, he is sovereign but he exercises his sovereignty through the voice of man so that men who love him and are close to him will insure that his will is done in earth. Riceland Enterprises
