” The Purpose of Prayer ”
By Deirdre Gallimore
Prayer affects all aspects of our lives, so the Scripture admonishes us to pray without ceasing. Jesus declared, “I desire that my people commune with me. They with me and I with them.”
Communication
The primary purpose of prayer is to commune with God. Commune distinctly means focusing on, conversing frequently with earnest vigor, intimate communication, trust, and respect. According to Psalm 145:18, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth”
God desires that we commune with Him regarding the plans He has for us. When we seek God regarding His will for the children with whom He has blessed us, we recognize that we are stewards of His heritage. Therefore, we commune with Him and submit to His will for the children.
It is easy to think of what or who we want our children to become. However, it is imperative that we pray not my will, but “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”
In Jerimiah 33:3, the Scripture states, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
Relationship
A good relationship is characterized by many attributes, including trust, respect, and communication. These are all parts of communing. Therefore, when we pray, we are building our relationship with God. Prayer is a two-way communication process; we speak to God, and He speaks to us. Often, we mistakenly do all the speaking, not allowing God to speak to us.
We must be mindful that; “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).
It is vitally important that we pray so we may have the mind of Christ. We do not want to build according to our will, but we want to build in agreement with the mind of Christ.
“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
We commune with God through different channels of prayer: through supplication, prayer, intercession, and thanksgiving. The Scripture declares in Luke 18:1, “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.”
To fulfill the highest priority in our lives, we must be people of prayer.
(Information from: Ladies Prayer International Newsletter – UPCI Ladies Ministries – ladiesprayerinternational-aol.com@shared1.ccsend.com)