Wednesday, January 07, 2015

The Purpose of Prayer Is to Know God (PrayerLife)

The River Raisin in Monroe

When I instruct seminary students or pastors to pray 60 minutes a day I advise them not to do church work or sermon preparation during that time. I say: "You are going to pray because you need God. Anything less than this and "prayer" is really about you instead of God."

Philip Yancey writes: "The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God. I need God more than anything I might get from God." (Yancey, Prayer, Kindle Locations 1039-1040)

This makes sense when we understand real prayer as a give-and-take relationship with God. God will give of himself to you in the prayer relationship, but he will not be used.

In a life of praying knowledge is a two-way street. I grow in personal knowledge of God, and I am searched out and known by God.