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Why is prayer the most important part of the thankfulness which God requires of us?
The book of Psalms proclaims:
What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord. (Ps. 116:12-13)
Praying to God is not only a blessing but also a necessity for Christians.
Christians have the great privilege and blessing of talking to their heavenly Father at any and all times in prayer. Yet, praying to God involves more than giving adoration to God, confessing our sins, thanking God for all he has given us in his common grace (providing for our everyday needs) and his special grace (our salvation in Christ alone), and making petitions for help.
The Heidelberg Catechism, first published in 1563, is a highly regarded summary of the Christian faith and has the following to say about the necessity of prayer for believers:
“Q. Why is prayer necessary for Christians?
A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness which God requires of us. Moreover, God will give his grace and the Holy Spirit only to those who constantly and with heartfelt longing ask him for these gifts and thank him for them.” — Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 116.
When we pray, we testify that God is sovereign over all, that he hears our prayers, and that he is completely able to fulfill our requests as is according to his will.
“Prayer is the first expression of the grateful, believing heart.”
In prayer believers humbly admit that they aren’t in control, and it is only by God’s grace that their daily needs are provided for and the debt for their guilt and sin has been paid. As theologian R. Scott Clark notes regarding the nature of prayer,
Prayer is our response. It is the instrument through which we reply from the heart, with thanks, to God for all he has done. Prayer is the first expression of the grateful, believing heart….Prayer is the act of a needy sinner.”
Prayer is the exercising of the believer’s trust in God—the outworking of the gift of faith that God has given us in Christ:
Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 5:17-18)
To dig deeper on the role of prayer in the believer’s life, be sure to check out “Why Is Prayer So Vitally Important for Christians?” by R. Scott Clark.
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Recommended:
The Three Forms of Unity: Subordinate Doctrinal Standards (The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession of Faith, and the Canons of Dort)
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