Why Do I Pray?

“Therefore He (Jesus) is able to

save completely those who come

to God through Him, because He

always lives to intercede for them.”

                        Hebrews 7:25 

Does God really hear and answer my prayers? Do my prayers actually change anything? These questions occur to most people at some point in life. Perhaps to answer would take thousands of reams of paper—perhaps not. Perhaps to answer would take more ink than I can purchase or more time than I can devote—perhaps not.

I have come to realize that I pray because of three words. I trust Jesus. Oversimplification? Maybe. But, when I boil all the words down to the real reason that I continue to pray, it is because I trust Jesus.

Hebrews 7:25 says “Therefore He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”

Jesus always lives to intercede, mediate, negotiate, arbitrate, intervene, plead, represent, appeal, petition, and pray for me to His Father—my Heavenly Father. Wow! Not only does He speak to God on my behalf, but the Scripture tells me that He is “able to save completely” those who come to God through Him. Completely covers life from the beginning to the end—when it is all over, the final result is in and my numbered days have been fulfilled—I know that I am safe with Jesus. I trust Him. 

Throughout God’s Word I find assurance that before I was formed in my mother’s womb, God knew me (Psalm 139:13). Before my lungs filled with air for the first time, God knew the plan for my life. Before I sinned, Jesus had already willingly given His life for mine. Wow! I trust Him.

Does prayer really change things? I have seen a pastor, who walked away from the Lord, return to God in sorrow and complete repentance after his church prayed for fifteen years. I have seen a pastor plead with the lost in his congregation to come to God before it is too late, walk to the back of the church and drop dead, only to be restored as the church fell to its knees in prayer. I have witnessed one hundred men, imprisoned—many of them for life—come forward at an invitation to ask Jesus to change their hearts. I can only imagine the number of prayers from mothers and fathers who begged God to send someone to their child. 

Why do I pray? I trust Jesus. Does God hear and answer my prayers? Absolutely! Do my prayers really change things? Yes. Sometimes prayer changes the situation—but it always changes me.

My prayer today is for those of you who do not know Jesus as your personal Savior. I want you to experience life with the One who is always interceding to the Father for His Children. It is truly the only life worth living. Don’t forget, “Jesus is able to save completely those who come to God through Him”. Be blessed today, and don’t forget to look up, and pray!

© Joyce Powell