In Defense of the Faith

Prayer Is Much More Than Asking

Question: Jesus said we are not to use “vain repetitions” in prayer nor will we be heard for our “much speaking” (Matthew:6:7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
See All...). Yet He also said that we should persist in prayer. That seems to be a contradiction. Why isn’t it enough to ask God once? He’s either going to grant the request or not. Why repeat a prayer?

Response: Prayer is communion with God and thus involves getting to know Him intimately in a relationship of heavenly love. Understandably, then, He does not respond to casual inquiry but to the passion of the heart. In the Old Testament God said, “Ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah:29:13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
See All...). In the New Testament God says He is “a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews:11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
See All...). Prayer requires diligent and passionate persistence. Nothing less shows the fervor of sincerity and love that God desires in our relationship with Him.

Jesus said that we should always persist in prayer and not give up (Luke:18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
See All...). He said that a characteristic of God’s elect is that they “cry day and night unto him” (Luke:18:7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
See All...). He encouraged us to keep asking, seeking, and knocking at the door of God’s mercy and grace until we receive our petition from Him (Luke:11:5-10 [5] And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; [6] For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? [7] And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. [8] I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. [9] And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. [10] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
See All...). Such persistence is not the “vain repetition” that Christ condemned.

The latter need not come from the heart but can be recited mechanically without any thought, much less passion. As Christ said, vain repetition operates on the premise that God will hear us because of the sheer volume of our words—i.e., quantity instead of quality. This is the “much speaking” that He rejected. To repeat a prayer again and again because of passion, however, is not “vain repetition” but reflects the sincerity and earnestness that God loves to reward.

Why isn’t it enough to ask once? Often it is. David asked only once for God to defeat “the counsel of Ahithophel” (2 Samuel:15:31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
See All...). That defeat was the key to victory over those who, led by David’s own son Absalom, had chased him from his throne. But Jesus indicated that God sometimes listens long to the cry of His elect without responding (Luke:18:1-8 [1] And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; [2] Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: [3] And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. [4] And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; [5] Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. [6] And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. [7] And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? [8] I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
See All...). The implication is that He delays not because He doesn’t want to answer their cry but because He desires to mature and mold them to His will.