A new beginning in prayer
Even though we know we should pray constantly, many of us would confess we don’t pray as often as we should. Prayer is often seen as a last ditch effort or a lifeline when things are difficult. However, according to God’s Word, our entire lives are intended to be lived with the attitude that unless God intervenes, we can’t do a thing.
Could the reason we don’t pray enough be that we have misunderstood the purpose of prayer? Below are three main points which remind us of the purpose of prayer from the ultimate man of prayer, Jesus Christ.
By praying, we show that we always need God (v.1)
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place…”
The Gospel of Luke records more of Jesus’ prayers than any of the other gospel books. Jesus prayed on all occasiosn including before he went and chose his disciples, and one of the most well-known instances, when he went to Gethsemane right before his arrest and crucifixion.
This raises a question, “why was Jesus always praying?” Jesus understood that apart from prayer to his Father, he can do nothing.
“The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing… By myself I can do nothing” (John 5:19 & 30)
This lifestyle of prayer was also adopted by the early church. The fundamental root of the church in Acts was that they could do nothing without God, so they prayed all the time. As yourself this, in your life is prayer essential or optional? We must understand that we pray to show we always need God.
By praying, we show that we crave to be in a communion with God (v.2)
Jesus responds to the disciples’ request to teach them how to pray by addressing God as “Father”.
Prayer begins with a relationship with God, and the primary purpose of prayer is to deepen that relationship. Most of us grow up thinking about prayer and seeing prayer as asking for things. Maybe you’ve stopped praying altogether, because if prayer is asking for what you want and you don’t get it, then what's the point in praying?
What if the purpose of prayer is to know more of God, instead of to receive answers? It’s not that asking for what we want and bringing our needs before God is not a part of prayer; it is. But what if prayer was intended to be much more than that?
God doesn’t tell us to bring all of our needs to him so that we can inform him about everything we need. He already knows everything you need, and there’s an intimacy he has designed for prayer that supersedes what we want and what we need.
By praying, we surrender to God’s plan (v.2)
In verse 2, the disciples were also taught to say “your kingdom come”. This means that we are anticipating the coming kingdom; are on board with God’s agenda and that we long for the King himself. That is to say, God has designed prayer as the means for you and me to be involved in what he is doing in the world.
Prayer in and of itself is powerless, but when prayer is a means by which we connect in a vital relationship with God then we will see incredible power from the Holy Spirit. God is the one who has all power—not our praying. The way we connect with that power is through surrender.
Surrendering means our attitude reflects that of Jesus in Gethsemane. We pour out our hearts and ask God for what we want, but ultimately, we say, “Yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
If you’ve lost your motivation to pray, it’s not too late to start a new beginning in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to revive your motivation and desire to pray. I believe the Holy Spirit will energise you and develop your heart and mind to desperately long for the face of God.
Heavenly Father,
I thank you that I can call you “Father”. I pray that you may strengthen my prayer life. Help me to truly know who I am in Christ, to understand that You always hear and know my need and the needs of others. I ask Holy Spirit to revive my desire to pray more.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen