Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
During a Bible Study with some Iranian Refugees on Tuesday one of them asked me why we bother to pray if God already knows everything. It was a great question and kind of stumped me for a while until I considered todays Gospel reading. Luke is very particular to point out that immediately before the transfiguration Jesus was praying. We know that Jesus packed prayer into his ministry and his time on earth, so for me it is a reminder that when you pray, things happen. Again, Luke tells us that Jesus was praying before the voice spoke at his Baptism and the bible has many more references where He prayed before big things happened. He prayed before walking on water in Matthews Gospel and before raising Lazarus from the dead in John’s Gospel. He prays before healing a deaf and mute man in Marks Gospel. So, as set by Jesus’ example, great things can happen when we pray. Jesus encouraged us, and even taught us how to pray. So encouraged by Him, let us all continue to be steadfast in our commitment to pray to God, not because we are telling Him what He already knows, or out of a feeling of duty, but because it is a crucial relational aspect of our being in communion with Him.
Rev’d Pete Farquhar
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