Here's an interesting instruction by God: “Tell the family. Ask them to pray.” This is my paraphrase, but I'm not putting words in God's mouth. Question: Why should I tell you, to tell God, something I have already told Him, that He already knew about before it happened, regarding something He has already resolved?

Prayer has nothing to do with informing God. One who is omniscient doesn’t need to be informed. On the other hand, everyone who is relational needs to be communicated with. While Dianne informs me of her day over dinner (I’m not omniscient), the main reason for the talk is relational dialogue. How much more relational could God be than to lay aside divinity to take on humanity for the express purposes of living together?

When it comes to prayer, I am clear on this: At its core, prayer is about communication and connection. That I should pray is akin to saying I must communicate with my wife. That I am to pray is a statement of the obvious: You need the community of connection and communication. Prayer is God saying, “Come here. Let’s discuss this until we get it reasoned out.”

What purpose could God possibly have for “reasoning” with us when He already knows how it is going to turn out? The only explanation seems to be that He wishes to have a conversation.

When we say, “Let’s pray,” I think God must say, “Okay.”

We are free to converse. We can relax and have a conversation with God. All impediments have been removed by Jesus. We have been brought near to God and the communication channel is wide open. He begins: “Let’s talk.”

Worry is illegitimate. This is not to say that God doesn’t want to visit about our anxiety, but He promises our needs will be met, our tears will be appreciated, and we will not be left to our own devices when it comes to problem solving. God has pledged that we will not suffer need deprivation. Of course, the operative word in this sentence is “need.” It requires a solid definition to ward off the enemy’s accusations to the contrary.

We know all of these things when we pray, stand together as family, and talk with Father. Prayer is communication with God—the conviction that I enjoy ceaseless connection to Father and the family.

Why pray? Should I pray? How do I pray? When do I pray? These questions are answerable. Each is rooted in communication and connection with God and each other.

There are, however, two questions about prayer that are not fully knowable. The first question is, what will God’s answer be? The second question is, will you pray?