More on Prayer

One of the obstacles to prayer is confusion about what it is and what it is not. Almost anything can and has been said in the name of God in prayer. Abuses in prayer abound, both outside and inside the church. It's little wonder that many people are confused or just generally don't think it's worth the effort.

Centuries ago, Martin Luther made a couple of interesting observations about prayer that are still helpful today. Both take the form of what prayer is not:
* First, prayer is not telling God something that God otherwise would not know. When we
pray, we are not bringing God up to date on what is going on in the world. As Jesus
commented to His disciples, God knows our needs before we even speak (Matthew 6:8).
Prayer does not tell God anything.
* Second, prayer is not a means of forcing God to do something that God would not
otherwise do. Prayer is not leverage on God or a way to manipulate Him. What He does,
He does because of who He is, because of His gracious nature. Prayer does not make God
do anything.

These comments raise an interesting question. If prayer is not telling God anything that He would not otherwise know or talking Him into something that He would not otherwise do, then what is it?

Martin Luther's point was that prayer is not for God...prayer is for us. We don't pray because of it's effect on God, we pray because of the effect it has on us. It is a tool that God has given us for our own benefit. Prayer does not change God, it changes us.