I was thinkin' about a pure and healthy motivation to pray. Let see... should I pray because I wanna appease God? Should I pray because if I don't who will? Should I pray because the Bible tells me I should? Should I pray because it's my religious duty? Should I pray because the AG declared that their churches should participate in a week of prayer? Should I pray because it's the only thing that moves the Hand of God? Should I pray because I'm so full of sin that if I don't I'm damned? Should I pray because I need something? Should I pray because others pray?
Well here's a shocker. I'd say initially none of the above. Oh I can find validation for some of the above, but what I'm looking for is the purest and most healthy motivation or reason to pray. Here it is.
Because I wanna! That's right, because I want to. Let me explain my rationale.
If I pray for any other reason (many of which I listed above are valid reasons to pray) other than because I want to... it's possible I'm being dishonest with myself and God. Think of it this way. Does God want us to obey Him because He says so, or because we simply want to obey Him? Do you understand? Wanting to obey... wanting to do right... and then doing it, is far more genuine than doing anything by compulsion or under duress.
So in short... I think I'll pray because I want to... not because I should. Think about that the next time you woefully head off to the next prayer meeting or the next time you think you should be praying instead of blogging or Facebooking or playing some inane video game or watching the latest episode of The Office.
Later!
Hey Russell! Great blog. R.A. TOrrey in his book The Power of Prayer adn the Prayer of Power talks about the same very issue. He states that our motives for praying should be pure and not selfish. What is our motive for praying for salvation fo a loved one. . .so our relationships with them will be better, so they won't go to hell, so we can marry them and not be unequally yoked? Why do we pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit is it for power? Why do we pray for healing, so we can have more energy, so we can feel better? Why do we pray for revival, so we can grow our churches? Or do we pray so that God will be glorified? This is the only reason we should pray. He says in his book that we should pray so God is glorified; because we can no longer bear that God is dishonored by our low level of living,because we can no longer endure that God be dishonored by the increase of wickedness. Oh that our motives be pure. And you are right we need to stop praying just because we think it's what is expected of us and pray because there is an undying hunger and desire in our hearts to be in the presence of the Almighty God. Thanks Russ! Great post!
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