Never A Formula

Never a Formula

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT PRAYER as if it’s powerful in itself. We say it can accomplish great things, and we talk about having a powerful prayer life. We aren’t wrong; Scripture gives us plenty of promises about the power of prayer. But they are all in the context of a relationship. We don’t just pray; we pray to our Father. We don’t just intercede; we intercede between human beings and the God who loves them. We don’t just come up with random petitions; we pray what the Holy Spirit has laid on our hearts. And we don’t simply pray from our own identity; we pray in Jesus’ name, clothed with his Spirit, asking in the context of his mission to redeem and restore lives, families, cities, and nations. We have to remember that we aren’t just talking to the air or declaring words of faith as if they are magic. A Kingdom mind is always in conversation with the Trinity.

Remember that faith is not a formula. It’s part of a relational bond. Praying is not just a matter of having the right attitude so you can get what you want (though it will produce the right attitude, and you will get much of what you want, in some form or another). Nor is it a way to manipulate the universe, which magical thinking aims to do. It is a way to partner with God to advance his Kingdom, along with all its wonderful manifestations and blessings, in this world. We are doing more than trying to make things right. We are preparing a highway for the King of glory, serving as ambassadors of his realm while we live in another, furthering his agenda—very broadly interpreted—in our own lives, the lives of those around us, and the rest of this world that he loves so much. In that sense, prayer is an act of love, a communication of hearts that are ultimately on the same page. Make it personal. Be aware of his presence in every detail of your life. The Father who sees in secret is always there.

Prayer is an effort to lay hold of God himself, the author of life.