“Therefore do not be like them. Foryour Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:8
Even before we call on Him, the Father has already begun to provide all that we need (Isa. 65:24). Jesus wanted His disciplesto learn how intimately God knew and loved each of them. That is whyHe told them to pray. He assured them that even before they prayed,God knew all about their situation. Prayer is not designed for us toinform God of our needs, for He already knows them. Why, then, shouldwe pray? Prayer enables us to experience God more intimately. The morea child experiences the loving provision of a parent, the moreconvinced he becomes of his parent’s unrelenting love.
Often a parentwill anticipate a child’s need before the child recognizes it and beprepared in advance to provide for that need. Our heavenly Fatherknows exactly what we will face today and next week. He is eager forus to experience Him as He provides for us. To our surprise, we oftendiscover that God knows far better than we do what is best for us. Attimes we assume that we know what would benefit us. We can even befoolish enough to assume that we don’t require anything of God. YetGod wants us to go to Him in our need (Matt. 7:7). He is ready to showHis strength through our weakness. Our heavenly Father knows exactlywhat is best for us, and He is prepared to provide for every need, ifwe will but ask (Phil. 4:13).
