Since God knows everything (“God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything,” 1 John 3:20), why do we pray? Since God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 20:29-30), why do we need to tell God our needs? We believe God is sovereign, which means he is in complete control, so why do we pray?
Daniel Brendsel in his book, “Answering Speech,” asks a question to answer the question of why we pray when God is sovereign. His question is, “How can we pray with anything like the boldness and persevering fervency on display among biblical prayers unless we are persuaded that God is sovereign over all things as Lord of history?”
If you are being robbed, you call the police because they have the authority and power to arrest the robber and save you. If you have a heart-attack, you call a doctor because they have the knowledge and authority to help you in your medical crisis. We cry out to God in prayer because he has the authority and power to respond and resolve the issue, regardless how small or large the problem.
We pray for peace in Jerusalem because God asks us to. (Psalm 122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!”) We also know that, unless God intervenes, there will be no peace. Hatred runs deep and has been embellished by evil men and women. Hamas’ attack is wrong. The killing of noncombatants, women and children, is wrong. Every effort must be taken to protect noncombatants.
Last Wednesday evening you may have seen men and women praying at the courthouse and several other locations around town. They were praying for the leaders of Israel, Hamas, Palestine, the U.S. and all the other nations that are affected by this war. Praying for God to soften the hearts of those who preach hate and for there to be peace in Jerusalem.
Only God can change a heart filled with hate to one that is willing to talk of lasting peace. Only God has the power to change their hearts.
The Bible says that one day every knee will bow (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10) and acknowledge that God is God and there is no other God. Until that day we pray for God to change the hearts of all people to know, love, worship and serve God.
Please pray for peace in Jerusalem.