This being the National Day of Prayer I thought it would be good to rehearse some wonderful reasons why we all should pray illustrated for us Scripture. Here are just three to start with:
FIRST: TO OBEY - Because God expects us to pray. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "When you pray" (Matt.6:5). It is kind
of assumed by Jesus in using the word "when" that his disciples would pray. Using the word "if" instead of "when" would have suggested that it was optional, but not so. "When you pray," means it was expected that we would do just that.
SECOND: TO COMMUNE - "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father" (Matt. 6:6). Being in a private room with someone often suggests intimacy and opportunity to converse (commune) with that individual. In this case it suggests getting alone with our Heavenly Father as his child, and just spend some time together talking.
THIRD: TO ALIGN - Prayer is more for our benefit, not God's. "For your Father knows what you need before you ask him," (Matt.6:8b). See, he already knows what we need. Our prayers are a matter of aligning our heart with his heart so that we might further deepen the relationship we have with him. And then Jesus goes on to teach how we are to this:
Matthew 6:9-15
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. NRSV
One purpose of this prayer just might be for the aligning our hearts with God's heart resulting in a deepening of our relationship each day -- and thus strengthening the National Day of Prayer.
Have a blessed National Day of Prayer!!
