Why Do We Pray?

It has been several months since I last posted anything.  My plan was to continue writing...writing about my journey to find perspective on that crazy year from "hell."  And I was doing pretty good, until I got to the issue of prayer.  It was something that I questioned God a lot about during that year.  Where was he?  Why should I pray if he is going to do what he wants?  Does God change his mind? Why did he let that happen to me?  I could go on and on.


The only thing I knew for certain is that I had spent the better part of a year, in my closet, in the fetal position crying and begging God to save me.  And for the better part of a year, he was silent.  I never once doubted his ability to save me.  I knew he had the POWER alright!  I knew it just as sure as I know anything in this world...that God could save me. But still I questioned, why do we pray?  If God is God and what is will be...then why do pray? He already knows how everything will turn out, the events of our lives were set before one of us came to be.

So again, I asked, Why do we pray?"

Well, almost three years after it all started, God has answered that question for me.  He has answered the question about prayer and why we do we pray.  And since this was HIS idea to write this blog (because really, who in their right mind would use any free time to write about this?! I would rather get my eye brows plucked one by one then to remember that year!) I am just going to simply share with you what he has revealed to me.

And before I go any further, just know that I am not a Theologin nor do I claim to be. In fact, I am pretty sure at least one pre-reequisite to earning that title would be the ability to spell the word correctly- without using spell check!  But here is what I know that I am.

I am just a girl.  I am just a girl, in search of the truth, in search of a God that is bigger than this world or anything in it.  I am just a girl who wanted answers for herself, who didn't want to rely on tright answers she heard in church or watered down theories spewed out to the masses in an attempt to make us all feel better.  Nope, just a girl who wants to KNOW HIM.  The REAL HIM.

So here is what he has shown me.  And I am praying that HIS truth will not get lost in my translation.  I really have no idea how to say this because if you hear it from me, it will sound like chinese.  But if you can hear it from God, from the spirit that lives within each of us, it will sound like the sweetest sound you have ever heard.  And as my bible study teacher likes to say that this is one of those truths that you just need to hold up one hand in praise of him and type with the other!   It is that powerful. So here goes nothin'!

We pray because he is worthy.(I don't want to ruin the moment with any other words..)

We pray because He alone is worthy.

There is NOBODY else worthy to hear our prayers.  Who else is there?  Who else is worthy to hold our destiny in his hands?  Who else has died for you and for me?  Who else has saved us from death?  Who else can even do that?  The answer is only Jesus.

The bible paints a moving picture of Jesus' worthiness.  It says (in Revelation ch. 4 & 5) that God held is hand out (with a scroll) and an angel called out to all of the heavens, the earth and down below shouting, "Who is Worthy?"  And the bible says that no one was able to take the scroll from God, no one in heaven or down below or on earth.  It was such a powerful scene that the apostle John just wept. 

I think that God in his infinite wisdom, allowed John to feel the pain and sadness from what appeared to be a hopeless situation because words can not always do God justice.  Sometimes they are not enough, we just need to see it, to feel it.

But then John was told to stop weeping because Jesus was present. Jesus, the slain lamb, was present and able.  He was able to take the scroll from the hand of God.  The bible goes on to paint this amazing picture of Jesus taking the scroll from God and all who were in heaven falling on their knees.  And now for the best part...angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousands times ten thousand sang (in a loud voice I might add):

"Worthy is the Lamb...."

Jesus is Worthy.  There is no one else.

So, why do we pray?  Because he alone is worthy.  Because he has ALREADY saved us.  He alone has saved us with his blood.  And because something that has already been saved, doesn't need saving again. 

 My prayer is that you would feel the truth today.  Even if you are struggling with depression which often times leaves us  unable to feel anything.  Put on some music and turn it up loud.  Tell God that you don't feel it, but you want to.  Chris Tomlin's "I Will Rise" is a song that has spoken to me about his worthiness.Just try it!

And if you are in a place where you can handle reading something..read God's word. Read it out loud, there is power in speaking the truth.  Even if you don't feel it right now. Tell him to fill you, to reveal his truth to you.

Claim his promise in James 1:5 that says "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously without finding fault and it will be given to him."  Remind him of that promise and that you desire wisdom.

I used to ask my counselor all the time how I was supposed to believe that God would help me and not someone else.  Why would he save me if there were still millions of starving children in Africa. Why not save them? And the counselor would always tell me that God is taking care of them just like he is taking care of meon .  And I just never could wrap my head around it.  Taking care of them?  I could turn CNN and see some story about hurting children somewhere.

But the truth is that he has ALREADY saved me, he as ALREADY saved you and he has ALREADY saved the starving children in Africa. 

Does any of this make life easier?  Not always.  But thank goodness we have an anchor, a hope, someone who is worthy!  The bible says that our prayers go up to the heavens like incense. Every one of your prayers and my prayers go up to heaven.  Whether we prayed them one minute ago or 5 years ago, they are all there...waiting for the right time.

In that same scene we just talked about, with John in heaven?  The bible says that when Jesus took the scroll from God, all who were in heaven, bowed down.  And guess what they were all holding?  Golden bowls full of incense, which were the prayers of all the saints. (Revelation 5:8)

Girlfriend, those are your prayers!  Those are my prayers.  They are right there in front of the one who is worthy, the one who has saved us and the one who will come again!

Thank goodness we don't pray to convince God to save us.  Thank goodness there is no quota that needs to be met....can you imagine?  Talk about stress in a stressful situation. Imagine wondering if you prayed enough times for you or your loved one?  Imagine wondering if you prayed the right way, if you said the right words?  Imagine carrying the burden that comes with that responsibility?

Today, I pray that you would find shelter in HIM, even if you need to hide in your closet.  Because He alone is worthy.

 For in the day of trouble, he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me upon a rock.  Psalm 27:5