WHY PRAY?
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son and he called his name Enosh then began men to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).
All over the world people everywhere offer prayer to the one and only true God and to numerous idols and deities to seek for one help or the other. At Oshogbo during the Osun Oshogbo Festival people flock to river Osun making petitions to Osun goddess. In India multitudes visit river Gandes on daily basis to make petition to Buddha. Why is praying so universal? The verse quoted above gives us a clue of why men began to call upon name of the Lord.
The truth is that it was when man came to the limit of his ability when faced with insurmountable challenges that he realized his morality, feebleness and powerlessness, that was when he reached out for help. The name Enosh, the son of Seth means mortal it was at this point that the first generation of man realized their mortality, powerlessness and vulnerability to the forces of nature and the various chances and changes of life, the unpredictability of the future that they started calling on the name of the Lord. It was at this point, when the reign of death and curses took total control of their affairs that they fled to God in prayer.
Unfortunately, the safety, prosperity and satisfaction they wanted still elude them, therefore in their ignorance and desperation they turned to demons and principalities to help to the detriment of their souls. They made the mistake that has been repeated by countless millions down the ages of focusing all their attention of self-gratification rather than seeking to do the will of God. The mistake that has been made down the ages has been seeking help from God without turning to God. Many people still full of prayers today without being repentant. The economic, social, infrastructural hardship we currently face in Nigeria has constrained many to be prayerful but unfortunately many still seek self-gratification rather than the will of God.
Therefore the first prayer a thoughtful person should pray with all sincerity is “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). When you have the right relationship with God in which you seek to please him as your heavenly father, any adversity you may face becomes His concern. God then as your burden bearer, source, provider and protector stands by your side.
“Extracted from “Echoes From The Deep”
By Ven. Olusegun Onafeso