Prayer that the Lord Wants
(Matthew 6:5-8)
Prayer is the way to connect us with God. His will is to save us and enable us to live in His arms eternally. To fulfill His will, we must make ourselves known to Him and offer ourselves through the path of prayer.
1. Prayer to commune with God
Israelites failed to commune with God even if they only enjoyed the privilege of prayer. Their behavior shown in what they called faith was far from the truthful heart towards God and mostly aimed at revealing their religious superiority to others. They prayed regularly at designated times and for a long time, but they did not have any interest in God’s work. They also did not expect that through their prayers God would remember them in His heart.
2. Prayer to dedicate our own lives
Prayer is not a means to temporarily contact God or to draw God into our own goals. Prayer is a way to show our willingness that we entrust our lives to God and suit our will into His will. Prayer is a way to commune with God, not to manipulate Him. Therefore, when we pray, we should not conceal ourselves and only ask for what we specifically need. Instead, we should surrender everything to God and open our hearts truthfully.
3. Prayer for God’s will
The ultimate purpose of prayer is to fulfill the will of God. Our lives are dedicated with the purpose of fulfilling His will, and we need His help urgently. Acknowledging this fact and entrusting our lives to God is the essence of prayer. The results we hope for may not appear before us, but it is evident that God will respond to us in accordance with His good will. Even if we do not see any response we prayed for during our lifetime, the prayers we have offered in faith while relying on God will be a firm foundation for us not to face God’s judgment in the future.
March 12, 2023
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
