Why Pray?
by Barbara McKinney
Exodus 32:14 (ESV)
And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
If God knows the outcome already, why bother to pray? God is omniscient. He does know everything. He is omnipotent. He has the power to do anything He wants. So, if He knows how everything is going to happen before it does, why bother to pray? When His people built themselves a golden calf and started worshipping it, saying that the calf had brought them out of Egypt, God decided to wipe them out. But Moses prayed fervently to God and God - listen to this! - relented and let them live. How could that be?
God gave us free will. So, we can choose to pray to God or choose not to. God has carved out a huge piece from His predestined plan to accommodate our prayers. That doesn't lessen His omniscience or His omnipotence. It is reflective of His fervent love towards us. It is the decision He made when He decided to create us as His children instead of as wind up toys.
So, when we pray, He truly listens. But, He listens to our silences also. If we choose not to pray to the Creator of the universe, we are living our lives as though there is no God. Our friends have limits to what they can do to help, doctors can't do more than is humanly possible. There are some things parents, husbands or wives can't fix and the government doesn't even know who we are. There's no place else to go when we are desperate for help. God is our only forever deliverer. He is our eternal Father and He knows us, cares for us, and is able to answer our prayers.
"She said to herself, `If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed (Matt. 9:21).'"
Luke 8:43-48 (ESV)
And there was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all of her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. [44] She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. [45] And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!" [46] But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me." [47] And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. [48] And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
What a gracious God, to allow our faith to have such power. Our faith in Him is faith in a merciful God who would allow His little children, sometimes without permission, to take from Him just because they believe in Him. He is listening, and He is merciful.
Do you believe that God will give you the desires of your heart?