SUMMER 2025 13 The gospels of Matthew and Luke record the poignant words of Jesus at the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer. Before He teaches them the model prayer, He says, “When you pray…” (Matthew 6:5; Luke 11:2). Jesus assumes that we will pray. He understands that we have a built-in desire and longing to connect with God. Through His comment, “When you pray,” we know that prayer is essential and is our direct connection to a divine resource. We depend upon prayer to ground us, to keep us strong, and to calm our turbulent thoughts and emotions. We also desire for God to answer, speak, and/or intervene on our behalf. We must never forget that the ultimate reward of prayer is God Himself, not what He may do for us. While we want His action on our behalf, we receive the blessing of His divine presence, and He is enough. Dallas Willard writes in Hearing God: “Our contentment lies not in his presents but in the presence of the One whose presents they are. In all our trials we are more than conquerors because, as we have seen, nothing shall be able to ‘separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:39).” We have confidence through prayer, even when we are unsure about the answer or outcome of prayer, and this confidence is centered upon the God we address when we pray. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 16:11, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” The privilege of prayer is that we treasure this intimate, joyful, comforting connection with God, and through our prayers, He can mold us toward His ways, His values, and His heart. It is when we begin to value this connection with God that He redirects our own ways, values, and hearts so that we become aligned more with Him. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns His disciples not to pray with too many words “for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” What a promise! God already knows our needs before we ask Him. Embracing that truth helps us recognize prayer as a primary tool for God to rearrange our attitudes and BECOME A PATRIOT PRAYER PARTNER Return the commitment card in this issue or register online at dbu.edu/prayer. Patriot Prayer Partners receive a monthly email with the latest DBU prayer needs. Email prayer requests to prayer@dbu.edu or contact the Prayer Office at (214) 333-5235. wants. As God transforms us, then we are prepared for Him to do His work. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The more I delight myself in the Lord, my desires change to become aligned with His plans, and therefore, God is answering and giving. The more God answers and gives, the more I delight myself in Him, and my desires are changed further to be aligned with Him. This cycle continues as these two phrases of Psalm 37:4 demonstrate God’s work in us, along with His answering of prayer. The major lesson of prayer is to be reminded that the great reward of prayer is God. What a privilege we have to connect directly to God through prayer. The work of God through prayer is woven throughout the history of DBU. The challenges and opportunities are different from years ago, but DBU people are still a praying people. Through the spiritual leadership of Dr. Adam C. Wright, the DBU Family continues the legacy of entrusting DBU to God’s direction and celebrating bountiful blessings that exceed expectations. Would you commit to praying for DBU and become a Patriot Prayer Partner today? Scan to go to dbu.edu/prayer “We must never forget that the ultimate reward of prayer is God Himself, not what He may do for us. While we want His action on our behalf, we receive the blessing of His divine presence, and He is enough.” THE POWER OF Prayer DR. JAY HARLEY VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
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