This week, we are asking the question: As you pray, what do you want from God?

The way you pray will tell you what you think about God.

The way you pray will tell you want you expect from God.

Larry Crabb, in his book The Papa Prayer, identifies two basic paradigms for prayer. A paradigm is a way of viewing things; it is a general understanding of a subject that shapes how we think about that subject and how we deal with it in our daily lives. I would certainly include myself in both of these paradigms at times.

The paradigm that is far more commonly accepted among Christians today is what he calls the “Get Things from God” paradigm. What’s the point of prayer? Well, to get something from God He might be willing to give. And that something usually is a blessing that, if given, will make our lives more comfortable (i.e. a better job, more money, a loving spouse, expanded ministry -the list is long).

So, we pray much. We babble on. 

There is another way. The second paradigm for prayer, we might call it the “Get to Know God Better.” In this view, prayer is centered in relational prayer. All other varieties flow out of prayer that deepens our relationship with God, and they are in perfect rhythm with that relationship. 

For subscribers to this second paradigm, worship and praise not only continue during hard times, but they deepen. It becomes clear that worship is the passion to sacrifice every second thing for the first thing of knowing God. 

Praise is directed first toward God’s name and then toward His benefits. The psalmist sang, “Praise the LORD, 0 my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” Then he added, “And forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).

So, let’s just ask this simple question: When you pray, is your primary focus on getting something from God, or is it to know God and experience His presence?

Larry Crabb lists eight assumptions regarding these two paradigms and then compares them. Tomorrow, we will examine these assumptions to see if we may need to rethink our assumptions.