Diligence in Prayer

WHY PRAY?

We had been praying up a storm in these challenging times, until someone asked, “If God is sovereign, why pray? He is in any case going to do what He wants.” Oops! How do we respond to this question? It all depends on our view of God and our place in His scheme of things.

We may see God as an impersonal God outside of us, hopefully not too far away, like a supermarket, where we go with our requests, hoping that it has in stock what we want. Then our prayers become a shopping list we take to the store, ticking off the list as we put the desired items into the cart. But we are surely going to be met with disappointment along the way. Some goods may be available, and we will be able to get hold of them. But what if, as we have seen in these hectic times, some shelves in the shop are empty? Then we end up disappointed, because we return home without some items we thought we needed. If I see God like this, my prayers will always be a toss-up – the supermarket either has what I want or need, or it hasn’t (or maybe it’s back in storage, but for some reason they didn’t put it on the shelf!). God becomes impersonal, aloof, and rather like a cold-hearted judge who either grants or rejects my requests without giving reasons, leaving me guessing, let down and frustrated. I never quite make it, I never really belong, and I am always on the outside looking in, with little confidence that I will get what I want. And I begin to doubt – either in the validity of my shopping list, or in the supermarket’s ability or willingness to satisfy my list. This doesn’t sound at all like an encouragement to pray, does it?

However, we may see God as a God of relationship, as Father, Son and Spirit, who by their unfathomable love and grace invite us into their circle to become part of their relationship, their mission, their life. Now we are children of God, part of his family and his household (John 1:12, Rom 8:16, Eph 2:19). We have free access to the Father (Eph 3:12, Heb 10:19). We sit with Jesus in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). We are united with God (Eph 1:10, Rom 6:5). We are Jesus’ hands and feet, his co-workers (1 Cor 3:9). We are open letters reaching the world for his sake (2 Cor 3:3). Holy Spirit dwells in us to guide us into the whole truth (John 16:13). In this intimate family circle we even begin to look like Jesus (Rom 8:29). And, to top it all, there is an open invitation to talk (pray), with a promise that we will be heard (Jer 29:12, Job 22:27, Ps 102:17, Prov 15:29, Matt 7:11, Phil 4:6, James 5:16, Mark 11:24). In this family circle we are on the inside, we belong, and we have a meaningful part to play, also through our prayers.

What happens when we do life together, enjoy fellowship and pursue a common vision? We talk, constantly. Conversation is the order of the day; it is the oxygen that allows our relationship to thrive. We share freely and openly, not only needs, but also dreams, visions, memories, feelings, impressions, disappointments, challenges and pleasures. We focus on a common mission, but we also share the ups and downs of life; we affirm and encourage each other, we hang out and have a good time together. (Don’t think God, the head of the family, is not interested in this.) The point is we cannot do life together without talking! In this close God-family, the disappointment, failure, lack, suffering or sorrow of one in the family affects everyone. It’s a team issue – Father, Son, Spirit and me (and so it is for every believer) are in it together. We put our heads together to solve it. If a solution doesn’t present itself quickly, we continue to wrestle with it, trusting the team to achieve a breakthrough eventually. We call this persevering in prayer – God’s family remains in constant conversation to solve the problem!

Now prayer looks much different. Prayer becomes the natural and intimate sharing that takes place in a loving relationship – the ongoing conversation between family members. The relationship is more important than the outcome – the intimacy, drawing each other closer by sharing our deepest feelings and desires, IS the outcome. And as we do life together, the family moves forward to accomplish God’s mission in the world. I believe this is what Jesus had in mind when He told his disciples (John 15:7, 8 and 16 The Passion Translation):

“If you live in life-union with me and my words live powerfully within you, you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify the Father… You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give to you.”

When we accept the invitation and become part of God ’s life-union, we grow so close, and we learn to discern God ’s will so well, our hearts begin to beat as one. We are on the same wavelength, committed to the same mission, and we speak what pleases each other. Now we not only pray in the Name of Jesus, we also pray in accordance with his Name, for His sake. We are not on the outside, trying to figure out a God who will decide from far away. We are on the inside and are part of the decision or the solution!

Now prayer is much more than a ritual or a duty; it is an exciting and adventurous privilege. My God-family is on the move, and in conversation with the other family members, I move with it! And as dear Floyd used to say, I cheated and flipped the pages to the end – we won! In this extraordinary time (someone called it an incubation period, because God is using the time to grow new things in us), God ’s family circle has even more reason to talk. God’s family can touch the world deeply in its hour of need, and the family has to talk strategy! This is what we do when we ask God to intervene, when we ask Him for mercy and for the virus to stop, when we ask Holy Spirit to turn people’s hearts towards Jesus, and when we ask Him to show us how we, as Jesus’ hands and feet, can reach out to the world.

May we in this time learn what it means to be part of God’s family circle. May we learn what it means to talk to Him, freely, openly and intimately. May we see the change in ourselves and the world around us as a result of the conversation between God and us. May this become the greatest, most joyful adventure of our lives!

How will your prayer be enhanced in this season? I’d love to hear from you!

About the Author: Rassie Malherbe is a member of the All Nations International Board and is also a member of the All Nations Cape Town Hub Board. He and his wife live in Cape Town and serve the Cape Town hub of All Nations mainly in the field of member care. Before his retirement Rassie taught constitutional law at the University of Johannesburg.

[reposted from September 21, 2020]

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