How Should We Pray?

Is it biblically correct to pray, “Lord cause me to need You and provide my need“? Does this sound like, “O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Ps. 90:14)?

In a day when our hearts are so fragmented; we need to be aggressive in knowing what is satisfying our hearts (mostly temporal things). For example, Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks of this water(that I will give him) will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).  I purposefully placed the the omitted phrase (“I will give” i.e. grace) in the text so that you could SEE that Jesus ALONE satisfies the thirsty soul–not mere water. Just think with me for a moment, you understand what it means to thirst again and again. This SHOULD remind us of the ONLY satisfying water–Jesus. As you bow and pray at your next meal (being aware that you will be back to eat and drink again) praise Him for being the satisfying “well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Let me show you a quick example of a man who demanded (mere water) for his needs to be met and his heart to be satisfied with relief. We are going to step into a real story in Exodus. Note, this is only one example of many within the context of this story: “Pharaoh said, ‘I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me.’ Then Moses said, ‘Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall make supplication to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.’ So, Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. The LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people; not one remained. BUT, Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.” (Exodus 8:28-31 emphasis mine). See also, Ezekiel 16 where God’s own people are not satisfied.

Brethren, we are in need of being satisfied with Jesus alone. When we are not satisfied with Him alone our hearts become hardened. Relief is not always a good thing. Actually, it can be deadly. Think about how you pray. Be cautious about how you pray. But, pray with great anticipation that God alone will satisfy your every need in Himself.