For Prayer

I sit and I close my eyes. Face in my hands, I make an attempt to pray. This prayer is unusual. It is not one that God would bless me and my day. It is not one that God would protect my wife and kids. It is not one that God would soften the hearts of unsaved loved ones. It is a prayer for prayer.
My wife and I have been married now for fourteen years. Over the course of those years, I have often sought my wife out to meet my needs. I have pursued her at times for me. She has something. I want it and I pursue her to get it. It appears that I have often pursued God with a similar motive. He has something. I want it and I pursue Him to get it. We pursue when there is pain that we want to go away. We pursue when we want God to intervene to help us save money, time and energy. We pursue when all other pursuits have failed to deliver, when all other paths have failed to lead us to our own “predetermined” destination. God often is our last resort.
It turns out getting my needs met is not the greatest end. I pursue my wife so that I can get and the getting doesn’t get it done. It then becomes clear that at the end of the day I just want my wife. I want beautiful relationship. I want to be connected with her, one with her. I want to know her like I want her to know me. Beautiful relationship with my wife is greater than anything she could ever give me.
The Apostle Paul made an emphatic statement in Philippians 3. He said, “I want to know Christ.” (3:10; NIV) Jesus Himself defined eternal life this way during a prayer in John 17, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3; ESV) To know God is greater than anything else He could ever give you. Today my prayer is for prayer.