Sermon Rewind 7/7/13 - Why Pray?

Mark 14:36

New International Version (NIV)
36 “Abba,[a] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Hebrews 4:16New International Version (NIV)16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Dave Brubaker kicked off the truthstarts campaign by addressing the question: Why do we pray for our hopes/dreams/desires if God already has a plan? Dave, often citing C.S. Lewis, offered up these five aspects of prayer:

1. Prayer allows us to be absolutely real with God. Jesus did not want to go to the cross and honestly conveyed that message while remaining subservient to whatever God decided.
2. Prayer involves "chutzpah." When we pray, we can take the stance of supreme confidence (perhaps even audacity) of demanding that God show up.
3. Prayer transforms us. Just as Jesus promised to make the disciples "fishers of men," pray that God changes us.
4. Prayer leads to participation in God's work. Dave defined a miracle as the intersection of our faith and actions and God showing up. Responding in action to prayer gives us the opportunity to become the answer to someone else's prayer.
5. Prayer is communion with God.  When we pray we experience all aspects of the Trinity, as God makes us desire to pray, leads us in the method of prayer, and becomes the context of prayer.

by Chris Cheung

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