Week Two // Why Does God Care About Prayer?
Everything we need in life comes from God. He is more than capable of providing for us and knows our very needs before we utter a single word. However, Jesus not only desires but commands that we call out to our Father with our longings, heartaches, and thanksgiving. (Matthew 6:8, 7:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
If prayer is a way to have a relationship with our Father in Heaven, then we might say that God cares about prayer because He wants to be in a loving, deep, relationship with His children. He sees us and delights in us and longs for a relationship with us (Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 18:19). As a father or mother naturally desires to embrace their own children and bestow unconditional love upon them, how much more does our Father in heaven want to do this for us? This truth is clear as we consider the reality that Jesus, out of love, came to earth to bear our sin upon Himself and pay fully for our salvation. He came, not to serve, but to serve, all to restore God’s relationship with man. Prayer is a gift from our Father to speak with and recognize our relationship with Him in our daily lives.
Perhaps in times of trouble, you’ve cried out to the Lord for help, or in times of sadness, you’ve turned to Him for comfort. Perhaps you find yourself in a moment of joy, thanking Him in prayer. In each of these prayerful responses, one underlying theme stands out. As we recognize our need for a Savior or recognize His provision for us, our thoughts are toward Him and not toward ourselves. A true prayer is one infused with dependence and need. We see this play out in prayers of dependence all throughout scripture. Think of Moses, who prayed for the nation of Israel to be spared for their sinful disobedience, something that Moses could not do on his own (Deuteronomy 9:25, Exodus 32). Or Solomon, who recognized God’s power and asked the Lord to hear the cries of Israel as he dedicated the newly built temple (1 Kings 18:22-61). Lastly, Jesus Himself shows us what it looks like to humbly come before our Father in heaven with the troubles of our hearts that we should not and cannot bear on our own (Luke 22:42).
Prayers such as these throughout history remind us that we, as sinners, are needy people. Humility in prayer points us away from inward dependence and pushes us toward the true provider Himself. If God desires to be known and glorified by all of His creation, then of course, He cares about prayer. He cares because He wants to be recognized as our most generous provider, just ruler, and loving father.
As you meditate on this week’s verses, remember that prayer is an act of humility. Have you recognized God’s power lately? Meditate on His ability to accomplish more than you could ask or think. This week, would we recognize that on our own, without Jesus, we can do nothing. May this posture equip you with the yoke and burden of Christ, which is easy and light. He cares about our prayers because He wants to point us toward the cross. May you find rest at the foot of it today.
