What is Prayer?

I’ve been pondering the whole question of prayer just lately and I was reminded of this verse. There was obviously something about the way Jesus prayed that made His disciples want to learn from Him. In Luke’s gospel, this question leads to Jesus teaching His disciples what we know as ‘the Lord’s prayer’. Whenever I have heard teaching about these verses it has always focused on the content of this particular prayer. But that has led me to ask the more fundamental question: “What is prayer?”

As I was musing on this question, I asked God to lead me to a book that might help answer that question, and then, to my shock, I noticed a small book in my reading pile. (I always seem to have way more books that I want to read than the time and space to do them justice). The book was entitled Let us Pray and was written by Watchman Nee many years ago. Because I had asked such a specific question. it felt very much like God led me to this precious volume. As I read the opening pages of the book it was incredible to read that Watchman Nee was literally addressing all the questions that I had been reflecting on. His words began giving answers.

Sadly, I don’t have space here to pass on many of the wonderful treasures that this little booklet contains, but here is something that God has impressed on my heart:

Nee affirms what I had suspected - that prayer is a great mystery. But what he does state is this: “God’s people must pray before God Himself will rise up to work. His will is only to be realised through the prayers of those who belong to Him. The prayers of the believers are to accomplish His will. God will not fulfil His will alone. He will perform only after His people show their sympathy in prayers.”

In essence Nee suggests that “prayer is none other than an act of the believer working together with God. Prayer is the union of the believer’s thought with the will of God.”

So, prayer is not the expressing of our wish for God to yield to our petition and fulfil what might be our own selfish desires. Prayer is not trying to force God to change His will and perform what He is unwilling to do! Prayer is simply the speaking out the will of God through the mouth of the believer.

As I continue to wrestle with my understanding of this marvellous gift of prayer, I realise what a fruitful thing it is to consider afresh what prayer is. And, alongside this to ask the question “why does it matter?” And ponder with God how I can make my prayers effective. Maybe even asking these prayerful questions will lead us to rich resources ‘just right’ for this moment in our lives, just as my prayer led me to mine!