Only Those Who Pray Can Know God

And yet they [the wicked] say to God, ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways. Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’ [Job 21.14-15]

At this point, it is hard to know if anything Job or his friends are saying is right or wrong.

All I know is that there is a LOT of talk and everyone gets rebuked in the end of the story.

However, it seems to me that Job accurately portrayed the attitude of the wicked above in verses 14 and 15 of chapter 21. The two questions Job indicates as questions of the wicked are perhaps questions we should be prepared to answer for ourselves and others:

1. Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him?
2. What good will it do us to pray?

First, it is imperative that we know God in order to understand why we should obey Him. If we know God, we know that He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. If we know God, we know He is, and was, and is to come. If we know God, we know there is no Righteousness apart from Him. If we know God, we know He is our everything - our Sanctifier, our Peace, our Present Helper, our Healer, our Provider, our Shepherd, our Banner, our Forgiver, our Advocate, our Refuge, our Strength, our Defender, and our Protector (just to name a few). If we know God, we know there is no other higher than Him - He is the Final Authority and, as such, should be obeyed.

Secondly, if we know Who God is, it behooves us to pray to Him. Knowing Who God is and knowing God are two entirely different things. The difference in knowing Who God is and knowing God is revealed by the absence or presence of prayer. Prayer is the key to knowing God. The Bible is just a great source of stories and biographical information without prayer. 

Anyone can know about God, but only those who pray can know God!

And, when we know God, really know God, we can not only understand His plans and purposes, but also participate with Him in their accomplishments.

This just highlights to me Jesus' declaration in Luke 4.18-19: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

That is precisely what knowing God and praying accomplishes!

Father, You have given us every tool to know about You and to know You. You have given us Your Word and prayer! Thank You!