Opus 2022-018: So Many Why’s

Why pray?  It is a question I often ask myself, as I have shared before.  The ultimate answer is because we are told to, but being created in the image of God and having an active mind I still want to know why.  So I keep pondering.  

I start to come up with questions.  Does prayer make God feel good?  Does it change Him in any way?  How can prayer change things when God knows what He wants?

That sounds like heresy to me.  How can something I do make God feel good?  Even an elementary understanding of the God of the Bible tells you He is not controlled by His emotions.  He know anger.  He is called a jealous God.  And yet He is the eternal, unchanging one.  The big theological word is immutable.    

I am thinking that prayer is for our benefit.  One caveat is that the right kind of prayer is for our benefit.  It must be prayer that gets beyond wish lists and attempts at manipulation.  I try to focus first on praise and thanks.  Then I will move on to lift up a list of family, friends and acquaintances.  I find that as I do this I am drawn into the presence of the Almighty.  It is hard to gaze into the face of God and not have your perspective of the world change.  It seeds your thoughts with eternity and your expectations with providence.  Usually I get so wrapped up in Him that I never ask anything for myself except in the general category of being more like Jesus.

I think prayer is a means of grace.  It is a door we can approach and either go through or stop at the threshold.  If we cross over it is impossible to leave without being touched.  It is a grace that starts in our hearts and minds and works out through our actions and our outlook.

So even if you don’t understand why, I echo Paul, “Pray without ceasing.”  You don’t need to know which came first to enjoy a good omelet.  

homo unius libri