What is the Purpose of Prayer?
By Jacob Hess
Growing up my Grandpa was the most generous person I knew. He made a habit of slipping me a five or 20 dollar bill at the end of his visits. It’s often said that God isn’t like this; that He’s not a Santa in the sky, ready to give us whatever we ask for, but I think this well meaning advice sometimes paints the wrong picture. After all, God is far more generous than my Grandpa ever was! Jesus said some radical things about God answering prayers, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it,” (John 14:13-14). If we take these words at face value, it seems like Jesus is saying that the Father will give us whatever we ask for. Looking closer, however, reveals not only the radical generosity of God but also showcases the purpose of prayer.
Caveats or Promises?
There are two statements in John 14:13-14 that are often defined as caveats to God answering prayers. 1. They must be asked in Jesus’ Name. 2. The purpose of answering the prayer is for the Father’s glory. Let’s look at both:
To do something in someone’s name means to carry that person’s authority. If I was the ambassador for the United States living in another country, I would be authorized to speak on behalf of the United States to that foreign nation. Jesus is saying something similar here. When Jesus says we are to pray in His Name, it means we are given a share in His authority. This is similar to the authority God gave the first humans back in Genesis (Gen 1:26-28). God shared His authority with humans because He wants to work His will in the world not in spite of us but through us. Yet, to do something in someone’s name also means to act in line with that person’s character. So, to pray in Jesus’ Name means to share in His authority and His character. I would be a fairly poor ambassador if I advocated things contrary to the desires of my home country. The same goes for prayer. They should be in line with the character of Jesus and His Kingdom if we hope to get the answers we seek.
When you do anything, from playing your favorite sport, to choosing where to eat for dinner, the goal of that action directs your decisions. If the purpose of your dinner is to treat your spouse to his or her favorite meal, you won’t choose something he or she dislikes. Jesus states the goal of answered prayers in verse 14:13, “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” To give glory to God means to show Him proper honor. God is shown to the world to be the all powerful, all loving God He is when prayers in the character and authority of Jesus are answered. This is God’s full generosity and honor on display.
These two statements could be seen as caveats to the kinds of prayers that God will answer, but they could also be seen as promises. In prayer, Jesus renews the purpose for which God made us: to be His representatives in the world, honoring Him before creation and caring for creation on His behalf. It’s a beautiful picture into the purpose of prayer, revealing that it allows us to partner with God, but this doesn’t tell us the whole story.
Partnership and Participation
Jesus says later in John, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you,” (15:7). Here we see a similar, but unique kind of caveat to answered prayer: abiding. This reveals a more nuanced picture of the purpose of prayer. It’s not only for partnership, it’s also for participation. God gave us a purpose in the beginning, but He also gave us a place to meet with Him in the garden of Eden (Gen 2:15; 3:8). Jesus connects answered prayers to this mutual abiding because prayer is not just about mission, it’s also about connection. God wants to work with us through prayer, but He also wants to meet with us through prayer.
The Giver IS the Gift
When I first learned about my Grandpa passing away, I felt more alone in the world. I thoroughly appreciated all the generous gifts he had given me over the years, but I miss his presence more than the gifts. This is what I think we miss when we come to prayer hoping to get what we want. God certainly isn’t a Santa in the sky, but that’s because He knows what’s best for us is not more stuff; it’s more of Him. Only Jesus makes this connection with the Father possible. When Jesus went to the cross, paying the price for our sin as He offered up His perfect life in our place, He not only restored to us the purpose we were made for, but also the Person we were made for: God Himself.
What is the purpose of prayer? Prayer changes us as God uses it to change the world. Prayer is for mission and connection. It’s about partnership and participation. So, don’t let anything take priority over it. Put prayer at the top of your agenda because this is what you were made for.
