Why Pray?

Bill Bright

“God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind” (Hebrews 6:17).

Have you ever wondered, if God never changes, what is the purpose of prayer and other communication with God?

I want to caution you about using God's immutability (meaning that God never changes) as an excuse not to pray or to ask Him to intervene in your daily life. Although He will never change His overarching plans and purposes, Scripture passages abound that show how God sometimes alters His plans on a limited basis in response to our faith and actions.

For example, He reverses His judgment because of sincere repentance of sinners, such as when the city of Nineveh believed God and repented so that God withheld judgment. At other times, He responds to the needs of human beings or the fervent prayer of the righteous, as illustrated by the parable Jesus told about the widow who persistently pled with the judge for justice. This is one of the mysteries of God's nature.

We know that God never changes, and yet He relates to us and gives us our free will. When we pray and ask Him to intervene in our lives, He does so – when it is in line with His will. He works through us as we walk and talk with Him.

So I encourage you to take comfort in the fact that God never changes; but realize that when we seek His face, we can expect Him to respond to our prayers.

Your View of God Really Matters ...

Where do you need God to intervene in your life or even your community today? How will He be glorified by answering your prayer? Pray in humility, understanding that God is the sovereign God who sees the entire picture.


Because God never changes,
My future is secure and eternal.


Learn more about God’s character at Discover God, by Bright Media Foundation, an affiliate of Cru.

© 2007-2015 Bright Media Foundation. All rights reserved.
Bright Media Foundation is an affiliate of Cru.

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