Our prayers often reflect our knowledge of God and relationship with Him. They go through different phases and seasons in our journey of faith. We can sort of categorise them into: childlike request and intercession with trust, meditative and intimate moments with Him, surrendering of our will to His (Luke 22:42) and perhaps a few more. A question often comes to mind is why there is a need to pray when we know that God who created the universe has planned its beginning and the end (Rev 21:6) and He knows our thoughts and more. Well, as Christian, our prayers are two-way conversation with God not in word alone, which allow Him to speak spiritual truths to us through the Spirit. This is a privilege no other religion can offer. (1 Cor 2:12-14). So let the Spirit bring us into an intimate relationship with God and allow Him to accomplish His revealed wills through our lives. There is certainty in our prayer and walk, when they are harmonized with God’s will and purpose. An example would be the Chinese evangelist, Watchman NEE, who was miraculously healed of his TB and certain death to continue the Lord’s work in China. He had much prayer support before this.
Prayer is also a practice of the ever presence of God in our lives and is heighten with fasting or in silent retreat. It draws us closer and knowing Him more fully, a process of transforming our values, character, worldview, attitudes, and relationships to His. But we are reminded in Isaiah 58 that God does not delight in rituals. For rituals make our living God into an idol, the human desire to restrict the expression of God’s love response to our prayer. God is looking deep into our heart when we converse with Him.
God's heart is for the weak and lost, those who really know Him will actively help and reach out to them. God’s creative powers are far beyond our understanding, and yet in His grace He chooses to unleash such powers in our lives to accomplish His works. The following is a rephrased English version of a Franciscan Benediction that reveals God's heart. Christ in us..:
..feels discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we too may live deep within and true to our heart.
..incenses with injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that we too may work for justice, freedom and peace.
..tears up for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that we too may reach out our hands to comfort them, and turn their pain into joy.
..knows it is no foolishness to believe that His people can make a difference in the world, so that we too may do what others claim cannot be done and to bring justice and kindness to all.
Ours is an active faith with prayer (Matt 25:35-36, James 2 14-26) and Hudson Taylor said, “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God there is no need for faith.” We undertake a venture with and prompted by God to gain a leap of faith in Him! This is the way we keep the royal law.
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