I Pray Because I Need To

I grew up in a home where prayer was regarded as the Christian's priority and privilege. My dear mother surrounded her family from early morning to evening--and occasionally all night--with her tear-filled, earnest prayers. One could never think of prayer lightly once one heard this valiant warrior talk with her God. She knew God; she walked with God and she lived in the atmosphere of prayer. It wasn't her practice to say, "I'll think about it." Rather, when faced with critical choices, it was always, "I will pray about it."

I don't remember the first time I ever prayed. Most of us probably don't. But I do know there hasn't been a day since my conversion when I haven't communed with God. My mother taught me the importance of prayer; God in His Word is teaching me the privilege of prayer; and multiplied preachers and Christian authors across the years have stressed the necessity of maintaining a vital prayer life.

But the question which has recently come to my own mind is this: "Why do I pray?" After thinking long and hard about this question--while at the same time trying to be honest with the answers--I have come to the following conclusion.

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED TO WORSHIP. The highest form of prayer is worship--the soul's exercise in ascribing worth to God. Without offering a petition or engaging in intercession, the soul is wonderfully caught up in the adoration, praise and exaltation of "the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy" (Isa. 57:15. NKJV).

I once heard Leonard Ravenhill relate a conversation he had with A. W. Tozer. While sitting in Tozer's study discussing the deep things of God, Tozer said to Ravenhill. "Len, there are times I come into this room, having directed my secretary that I don't want any interruptions, and I stretch out with my face to the floor. And I worship. Without asking God for one thing, I lie there. Sometimes for an hour, sometimes for two, three, four, five hours, all I do is worship," Tozer wasn't bragging; he was simply baring his soul to a Christian brother.

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED TO COMMUNE WITH "THE GOD WHO IS THERE." Prayer is Friend holding fellowship with friend. And this Friend is the Sovereign God-Creator-Redeemer of this universe--who, to use the words of Francis Schaeffer, is there.

This self-existent, eternal One gave to each of His choicest creatures the spiritual capacity to share--spirit with Spirit. Hymn writer C. Austin Miles knew this when he wrote, "And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known." God talking with man; man talking with God. And many times without words being exchanged--just enraptured holy silence. That is communion; and communion with God is prayer.

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED MERCY. Bartimaeus gained an audience with Jesus because he cried for mercy. The publican praying in the temple, in Jesus' parable, obtained mercy because he acknowledged his need of it. All Christians are exhorted in God's Word to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy . . ." (Heb. 4: 16). We never outgrow the need for mercy.

I PRAY BECAUSE OTHERS NEED MY PRAYERS. As strange as that sounds, it's true, We need one another’s prayers. Jesus and the apostles taught this.

It was years ago that I first heard the term "prayer-garden" used by Dr. S. I. Emery. Before his health declined, while leading one of our prayer services in the church which I pastored, he offered this insight: "God gives to every serious Christian a special area of prayer concern. That concern could be likened to a garden. And it rests on the shoulders of each person to tend it carefully. For no one else has a garden just like it." I have never forgotten that striking analogy.

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED TO TELL GOD "ALL ABOUT IT." God is the Christian's best "therapist." Whether it's today's schedule, financial woes, irritable people, a domestic problem, or scores of other concerns, we find a cleansing release as we "Cast all (our) anxiety on him . . ." (I Pet. 5:7).

In sharing my fears, regrets, disappointments, frustrations, insecurities, hopes and failures with the Lord, I position myself to receive His wisdom and instruction, comfort and correction, assurance and understanding. In the words of the song writer, "Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus."

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED TO LIVE UNDER THE SPIRIT'S CONTROL. I have a moment-by-moment choice: to act and react in the flesh, or to act and react in the Spirit. I can't walk in the Spirit unless I "pray continually" (1 Thess 5: 17). By relying on God instead of myself (prayer’s essence), I can "run and not grow weary"; I can "walk and not be faint" (Isa. 40:31).

I PRAY BECAUSE I NEED TO CHANGE. If I read my Bible correctly, there are three stages of change in the Christian's pilgrimage: past, present and future. There is a change which takes place at the point of conversion (see 1 Cor. 6: 11). There is a change which awaits every child of God (see 1 Cor. 15:51). But, then, there is the now of life. Second Corinthians 3:18 speaks of progressive sanctification, ongoing change: "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed [changed) into the same image from glory to glory . . . " (NASB). Yes. I was changed . . . I shall be changed . . . and I need to experience a greater conformity to the likeness of Jesus Christ in this present world.

Those are some of the reasons why I pray.

I need Thee; oh, I need Thee!
Every hour I need Thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Savior;
I come to Thee.

Prayer: Father, grant your unworthy servant a praying heart. In the name of Your Son, who is teaching me even now how to pray. Amen.