“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” —Psalm 138:8 (ESV)
“If God’s going to do whatever he wants anyway, what’s the point of praying?”
This was the question posed by the professor of a class I was taking on the theology of prayer. The premise was that God doesn’t need our prayers to carry out his own will. And, when we pray in ways that are contrary to his will, his answer is, “No.” So, if he’s just going to do whatever he wills, irrespective of our prayers, why pray?
Sadly, many in the class seemed stumped by this quandary. A variety of answers were given, and the eventual consensus was that we pray simply because we’re commanded to—an act of rote obedience without any real meaning.
But Psalm 138:8 gives us a different picture. This verse says three things: (1) I trust what God will do; (2) I know God’s character; and (3) I’m asking for God’s actions to align with his character. (This is a great model for prayer, by the way!) Now, the interesting thing for our discussion is the last line: “Do not forsake the work of your hands.” The psalmist already knew that God would not forsake the work of his hands. He expressed that in the first two lines. Yet, he still asked God to be faithful. Why?
Like the psalmist, we already know that God won’t forsake us. God won’t let go of us. He won’t turn his back on us. He won’t abandon his plan and purpose. We don’t have to ask God to be faithful, as if he would be unfaithful without our asking. We know God’s character and trust his work. Why, then, does the Bible lead us to ask God for things we know he already gives?
Because of friendship. Friends are honest with each other. They are vulnerable to each other. They tell each other what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, what they’re hoping for, what they’re scared of, and more. I don’t share these things with a friend merely because that friend can help me out. I share them—even when my friend can’t do anything to help—because I’m not just sharing my problems or hopes but my self.
The primary purpose of prayer is to grow in friendship with God. Tell him what you’re thinking and how you feel. Ask for help, confess your sins, be honest—even when you’re angry with God. Don’t just tell him your problems, but share them with him. And not just your problems but your fears, your joys, your successes, your failures, your dreams, your worries… in short, share your heart with God. And he will share his heart with you.