As I wrote about in my last post, prayer is powerful. When we pray, God listens and answers.
But why? Why do our prayers matter? Why does God listen and answer?
… Your prayers matter to God because you matter to God. … you are his child.
Max Lucado, “Your Prayers Have Power,” Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God
That’s the answer. A simple answer, yes, but it’s the answer.
We are God’s children.
Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by saying, “Our Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:9). More specifically, our “Abba in heaven.” Abba is an intimate, tender, folksy, pedestrian term, the warmest of the Aramaic words for “father.” Formality is stripped away. Proximity promised. Jesus invites us to approach God the way a child approaches his or her daddy.
Max Lucado, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer
How do children (normally) approach their daddy? Hmm? I think of confidently, excitedly, eagerly, unafraid and unashamed to ask for things, trustingly, etc. They run up, maybe wrap their arms around him or scramble into his lap, and start spilling out words. “Daddy, look at this!” “Daddy, guess what?” “Daddy, can I have ____?” Daddy, daddy, daddy.
And that’s how we should approach our Abba God. Confident and trusting, knowing He loves us and will take care of us and knows what’s best. Excited and eager, wanting to tell Him everything, and not afraid/ashamed to ask Him for things.
… Become as little children.
Max Lucado, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer
Carefree. Joy filled. Playful. Trusting. Curious. Excited.
Forget greatness; seek littleness. Trust more; strut less.
Make lots of requests, and accept all the gifts. …
What does a daddy do when his children come and talk to him? He listens. He answers their questions, and spends time with them, and delights in their delight. He sometimes denies their requests and sometimes must punish them, but he’s just doing what he thinks is best.
And what does our heavenly Daddy do when we come and talk to him? He listens. He answers our questions, and spends time with us, and delights in our delight. He sometimes denies our requests and sometimes must punish us, but He’s just doing what is best.
Will God do what you ask? Perhaps.
Max Lucado, “Your Prayers Have Power,” Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God
Or perhaps he will do more than you imagined.
He knows what is best.
As God’s children, we are free–even encouraged!–to come to Him and ask for anything. . . because it’s (usually) already ours.
You aren’t merely a slave, servant, or saint of God. No, you are a child of God. You have legal right to the family business and fortune of heaven. The will has been executed. The courts have been satisfied. Your spiritual account has been funded. He “has blessed [you] with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3 NKJV).
Max Lucado, “An Heir of God,” Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God
You have everything you need to be everything God desires. Divine resources have been deposited in you.
Need more patience? It’s yours.
Need more joy? Ask for it.
Running low on wisdom? God has plenty. Put in your order.
We can ask Him for anything–peace, joy, love, patience, strength, wisdom, protection, forgiveness, etc. It’s already ours! We already have it! We just have to “name it and claim it,” you could say.
Our Father is rich. Abundantly, generously, bountifully, lavishly rich! His richness overflows to us, showering us with blessings and gifts and anything we need (notice it’s need)! All we have to do is ask and accept.
Ask, and it shall be given you;
Matthew 7:7 (KJV)
seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
God desires to take care of us and give us what we need–and He goes above and beyond that too! He gives us so many unnecessary blessings and unexpected gifts, things that we don’t need or deserve.
All because we’re His children. And He is our Daddy.
It is so cool to think of God like this…. And He is! He is sooo good and kind!
Amen! 😊