Prayer

Oh how I love a good family night. What, you may ask, defines such a night? No blood, no tears, no screaming or tantrums, at least a a few good seconds of gospel conversation, and a yummy treat (not necessarily in that order).

I'm happy to say that last night qualified. It may have even exceeded our expectations.

Our Family Home Evening last night was about prayer. We read 2 Nephi 4:35 and talked about how Nephi had learned to trust that God would answer his prayers. We talked about how Nephi had faith, experimented on the word, and constantly practiced communicating with his Father in Heaven. Thus, he developed faith in the principle of prayer. We listed instances when Nephi had prayed in faith and the boys illustrated them on a big roll of paper. Nephi ended up in various renditions with a mohawk, bald, with short dredlocks, and with three eyes. Good stuff.

Todd pulled out the deep thought question for the night. I can always count on my oldest little man to make me really think about life: "So, if God knows everything and he can see everything that's going on, why do we even need to pray?" Now, this wasn't said in an I-have-a-bad-attitude-and-don't-want-to-pray kind of way, but as a real question, like why does it matter? So we talked about our Heavenly Father, about our relationship with him, about how he wants to hear from us.

But I haven't been able to get his question out of my mind. I've thought about his question many times today and I pondered it this morning as a went to the temple. I realized that it is a good idea to reflect on that very question in order to improve my prayers.

Why do I pray?

Are my prayers efficacious?

Do my prayers demonstrate a faith in God or are they simply a rote repetition?

Do my prayers reflect a deep love for my Heavenly Father?

I remember hanging up the phone after talking to my parents a few days ago and thinking, "I really love talking to them." Do I feel that way when I pray?

Do I stop and listen?

When I pray with my children do they sense that I love my Heavenly Father and I trust in his plan for me?

Todd is right. Heavenly Father does see all and know all. But, if we don't pray, He can't bless us, He can't answer us, He can't direct us. He needs us to ask and to knock, because in doing so, He is able to bless us.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) recently spoke about the love of God (read the whole amazing talk here). He said,


"God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.
No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!
For what we love determines what we seek.
What we seek determines what we think and do.
What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become"

As I've thought about it today, that's why I pray. I don't pray because God needs me to pray. I pray because I need to pray. I can't make it on my own.