Why?

 

 

Why do we yet pray for that

Which we have already received?

Is it because, in fact,

We really do not believe?

 

If the Word of God says

That we already have it,

Why do we continue to bombard heaven?

Is it just out of habit?

 

God has given us, we are told,

All that pertain to life and godliness

Yet for these very things

Our prayer is rather ceaseless.

 

Is it because, I ask again,

We are acculturated by rituals

And like the many other religions

Must function as such people?

 

Does God not know

And has He not put in place

All that His redeemed children need

According to His wonderful grace?

 

So then, why do we beg

And why do we beseech

As though God needs a timely reminder

Of that not within our reach?

 

Is He a god like Baal

Whose prophets had to bellow,

And cut themselves until the blood gushed

And still Baal was a no-show?

 

Does God sleep

Like apparently Baal did

Causing Elijah to mock his prophets

When he did not do as they bid?

 

 

Why do we yet pray

As though we are in disbelief

And feel that much praying is our effort

To help God bring relief?

 

Why do we remind Him

Like He has a tendency to forget

And if we do not get to Him in time

We might in fact regret?

 

It appears God only supplies

If we plead and beg and beseech

And it is to those only who do this well

Is what we practice and teach.

 

Hence, why would we pray

For the same things over and over

Under the guise that even for God

The enemy is no push-over.

 

Why do we pray so fiercely

As though trying to convince God

If only we only we could get Him to see,

He would respond to our call.

 

Why do we harp about numbers?

Do numbers matter to Him?

Are not all of these signs of unbelief

And isn’t unbelief sin?

 

 

Why do we say we believe

And then pray as if we do not

Yet, still hoping like the Pharisees

God will give us our lot?

 

Our prayer is full of worry

And saturated with and anxiety

And it screams from hilltop and steeple,

God is not hearing me.

 

For it seems He does not answer

Hence, we pray again and again

And like the prophets of Baal on Carmel

We seem to be praying in vain.

 

Why do we not believe

We have that for which we pray

And why do we pray for the same things

Each and every day?

 

Stewart Russell © March 19, 2024