Why do we pray?
Tim asked us why do we pray. I pray because in the scriptures Jesus asks me to pray, and we are instructed to follow Jesus words. When Jesus disciples said Rabbi teach us how to pray; Jesus taught them to say, Abba...and we all know the rest of the words.
I can imagine this may have come as a bit of a shock to these men; calling Almighty God Abba. What do you think about this? Do you think this is right that we address God as Abba?
Jesus also told His disciples, I do nothing without first consulting My Father, and the disciples watched Jesus retreat to quiet places, and they must have known where He was going, and I don't imagine they disturbed Him either, because this was His time alone with His Father.
One gets the impression Jesus didn't just disappear into a place of prayer when things got tough, but as I read the scriptures I have that sense He was in this place of prayer and communion with His Father as often as time would permit. We know that Jesus and His Father are One; they were only ever separated once.
When was that?
I'll leave that subject for another occasion.
When I have neglected to pray, boy have I noticed the difference in my life. It's like things just aren't going the right way, and I'm like a car that's gone down the wrong road; I look out the window, and I am in unfamiliar territory and I'm thinking oh panic, where am I; where's the Lord? Right, stop everything, and go and pray.
I stop everything, and I go to my room, and I look to the Lord, and I pray to Him, and then everything just slots right back into place; yeah, just like that. All is well again, and I am smiling once more. So I realise that neglecting to pray each day isn't a good idea.
I watched a husband and wife on the TV, and she woke up in the morning, and she turned and looked at her husband sleeping. Her eyes were filled with such love, and then he stirred from his sleep, and he turned to her, and she greeted him so warmly, speaking words of affection, and I thought of Song of Solomon.
We are told Song of Solomon is a symbolic of the love God has for us. It's that union of love that is above all earthly love; it's a love that caused our Father to allow Jesus to give His life as a sacrifice for our sins. I don't know of any parent that would willingly give their son up as a sacrifice for someone else's sins. I would not hand my son over to a government to sacrifice him for anything. That's made me cry writing that last sentence.
It’s our instincts to want to hold on to our children and protect them, and Jesus says God is our Father. So, God has all the attributes of a parent; he hurts, He cries, He feels pain and sorrow, He longs to embrace His children, He heals us and He dries away our tears. These are just a few things our heavenly Father does for us His sons and daughters.
He suffers with us, and so when I turn to Him to pray, and my heart is hurting, He feels my hurt, like I feel the hurt of my son and daughter when they hurt. When I say daughter, I'm your mum come close to me and let me hold you and love you, and take your pain away; God will do no less than I do as a parent. He will do even more than I can do because He is God, and He is our Creator.
So, I think it is Paul that tells us in scripture to approach our Father with confidence; we're not to come to Him with trepidation, half hearted, thinking, oh will God hear me, will He be too busy to listen to Me? Is God tired of my daily ramblings; have I given Him ear ache?
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
God doesn't get ear ache, and when our children come to us, and we go weak at the knees and our eyes water, and we think, aren't they incredible; God feels like that about us every single time we turn our faces to Him with the intention of praying.
How do I know this is true? The reason I know this is true is because I have heard the Lord tell me He looks forward to me coming to Him to pray.
I'll leave you with a verse of scripture, and I pray the truth of His word will wash over you and me like wave upon wave of love.
“ O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
In the secret places of the cliff,
Let me see your face,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet,
And your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:14
