Requests to God are true worship

The suggestion that there are special degrees of prayer for spiritual elites is simply wrong.

We often feel embarrassed when we receive gifts at Christmas and wonder if our pleasure should be focused on such material blessings.

There is no harm in asking God for things. Our requests to him are true worship, because we are acknowledging his sovereignty. In fact, many of the words associated with prayer in the Bible simply mean to ask, request or beseech.

If you think of the Lord’s prayer, you will realise that it is made of up petitions. Even the prayer that God would hallow his name is a request to God that he would act for the salvation of his people, and therefore vindicate his name in the world where it is so often blasphemed.

The suggestion sometimes made that there are special degrees of prayer, and that contemplation or meditation or adoration is a higher form of prayer for the spiritual elites is simply wrong. Of course contemplation, meditation, and adoration form part of the life of prayer. But they are not in themselves superior to the prayer that asks.

Not all our requests are equally valid. That is why scripture should guide our prayer life, and in matters where we do not know the specific will of the Lord, we should have the wisdom to wait on his mercies. Unanswered prayer is a great exercise in trust.

Another vital form of prayer is thanksgiving. In this, too, we are acknowledging the power and majesty of God. I hope that we all make it a habit to thank God for food at meal times for example, especially in a wealthy community where it may seem that being fed is an automatic right.

In August this year Christian people throughout the State joined together to pray for rain. The experience of drought has been constant in the last few years and even the city water supply is under threat.

No doubt you noticed that there was in fact significant local rain on that day. Since then, furthermore, there has been something of a reversal of the situation with more widespread and satisfactory rain falling in various parts of the State.

I observe two things. First, despite the improvement in many places the drought is yet to break in many other places. We need to continue to pray about this. The stress on family life for those who live in rural areas is profound, and it is hard to minister effectively. I know that our brothers and sisters in other Dioceses are doing their best to bring practical help and to reassure people about the love of God. They value our fellowship in this. One of the most important things we can do is to continue our intercessions for the land and its people.

Second, we should be thankful. The situation has improved and our heavenly Father did hear and answer our prayers. We would be a thoughtless and hard-hearted people if we were to forget to acknowledge his goodness in this matter.

This month as you remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and continue to pray for his blessing in this matter, also continue to praise him for his Lordship over all creation and his kind answers to our previous prayers. What a joyous thing it is when God hears our prayers!

Archbishop Peter Jensen
December 2004

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