Prayer, God and the Christian

Prayer, God and the Christian

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, 

but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”  

Søren Kierkegaard

Payer is where we show our need of God. Where we show our faith. What we call the Lords prayer is really what some call the disciples prayer. It is a good example of how we should pray. It states.

“ ‘Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, your will be done 

on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our debts, 

as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from the evil one.’  

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, 

your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, 

your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Matthew 6:9-15

1/ The prayer starts by acknowledging our Heavenly Father the creator of the Universe.
    It acknowledges the holiness of God.
2/ It makes it clear that the one praying wants God’s will to be done on earth as in       heaven. Without conditions, even if we don’t like it.
This was something Jesus acknowledge prior to his crucifixion. Jesus said,

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; 

yet not my will, 

but yours be done.”  

                                                                        Luke 22:42.
3/ The prayer asks God to give us “our daily bread”. Our physical needs for that day.
4/ Then the prayer states,

“Forgive us our debts, 

as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Notice it asks God to forgive our debts “as we have forgiven our debtors”
Jesus elaborates on this saying,

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, 

your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, 

your Father will not forgive your sins.”

                                                                                            Matthew 6:14,15.
5/ The prayer asks God to

“And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from the evil one.”

In all it is a prayer telling God we love and praise Him. Asking Him to forgive us of our sin. While at the same time telling God we sincerely need Him to guide, protect us and provide for us.
Sadly too many calling themselves Christians when they pray don’t acknowledge their need for God. They pray amiss. The majority of the prayer is asking God for things they don’t need. They ask God to do what they want they treat God like a servant.
Harry Emerson Fosdick said,

“God is not a cosmic bellboy 

for whom we can press a button to get things done.” 

James the half brother of Christ states,
“You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.  
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  
Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.  
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:2-10.
As Christians that last line is important,
“Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Please take time today to take stock of how you pray and how you treat God. Do you treat him as Harry Fosdick said “a cosmic bellboy” or do you bow humbly before him and say to him as Jesus did,

“not my will but yours be done”

Please think about it.