Question: I have a hard time understanding prayer. If God is in control and knows everything, then why does He need me to pray and ask?
Answer: Many people struggle with this. They believe prayer is about what we can get from God or what He can or will do for us.
Friends, prayer is much more. It is relational. God wants a relationship with us. He wants something from us as well. He wants our presence with Him. The God of the universe, who made you, wants to spend time with you. St. Augustine says, “True whole prayer is nothing but love.”
Gary W. Moon asks, “Could it be that real prayer is a matter of falling in love with God and then returning home from a distant land of fear and self-sufficiency to enjoy his warm embrace? Could it be that I was confused because I had missed the primary focus of prayer? What if prayer is not predominantly about habit or asking or even ecstasy? What if it is about love and relationship, and its primary enemy is estrangement? Then, as Foster reminds, I can relax into notion that prayer does not come from gritting our teeth, but from surrendering to love and coming home to the open heart of God.”
1 John 4:8 says, “He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Friends, yes God knows everything and is in control, but He is not about controlling us. He wants to have a relationship with us based upon love. For He is love and the Father of love. He wants to teach you how to love. More importantly, God what to teach you how to be loved by Him, how to love yourself and allow others to love you. Asking develops this relationship with God.
John 14:13-14
King James Version
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
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