The Necessity of Prayer

I sit here this morning pondering prayer. In Leonard Ravenhill's book, "Why Revival Tarries," a few quotes strike me with such power. He says, "One praying man stands as a majority with God." He goes on to say, "God sought for a man not to preach but to stand in the gap." In talking about Elijah Leonard Ravenhill says that he prayed, "no man can do more that for God."

God does not need us but he desires that we partner with him, become co-heirs. So what is prayer and why is it necessary. What does prayer accomplish and how should one pray?

I believe that purpose of prayer is for us to get to know God and His Son, Jesus. In Gen 1 God gave us dominion over all things. When Adam and Eve sinned that dominion was lost. The only way for the dominion for mankind to be returned was through a King. No man in history would restore what was lost. Only Jesus, entering lowly as man could restore this lost prize.

I am learning that prayer is not a time for me read off my list things that I want God to do for me. It is a time to get to know Him intimately. To gaze at his beauty and to gain a little understanding of who He is and what He has done. I realize that at the end of the day we cannot really know Him without revelation. Hans Urs Van Balthazar refers to this as the ecstasy of non-comprehension. Or what the great mystics called , "Negative Theology." We can never really know Him until He returns. But it is awesome to get into His presence and meditate on Him.