This is part two in our series on prayer, Our Father. In part 1 we considered what prayer is. In this episode we are answering the question why pray? Heidelblog readers, students, and others regularly ask “Since God is sovereign why pray?” The good news is that we are not the first to ask this question. Christians have been asking this question since Adam was expelled from the garden. Calvin addressed this question very nicely in Institutes, book three chapter 20. The great Reformed theologian Herman Witsius also addressed it. It’s a perennial and we will tackle that question and we will also consider three passages of Scripture and we will look at Heidelberg 116 again in more depth.
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Show Notes
- The Heidelcast
- How To Make the Coffer Clink: Use the Donate Button Below This Post
- Heidelblog Resources
- The HB Media Archive
- The Ecumenical Creeds
- The Reformed Confessions
- Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
- Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008).
- What Must A Christian Believe?
- Why I Am A Christian
- Resources On Prayer
- Resources On Reformed Piety
- AGR: With Chris Gordon On “Still, Small Voices”
- Recommended: URCNA Forms And Confessions
- Resources On The Canons And Synod Of Dort
- Redeemed From Every People, Tribe, Tongue, And Nation: A Commentary On The Canons Of Dort
- How Did We Come To Faith?
- The Green Lantern v Paul on Election
- Grace And Election In The Late 90s AD
- Baptism, Election, and the Covenant of Grace
- John Owen’s Judgment On Amyraut’s Brief Treatise On Predestination
- Heidelberg Catechism in Audio (George Syms)
- Heidelberg Catechism (URCNA Learning)
- A Delightful Reformed Guide To Your Devotions: Be Thou My Vision
- Five Reasons We Do Not Need Ken’s Doxology
- Ken’s Doxology: A Subversion Of The Psalter?
- Heidelcast Series: I Am That I Am
- Does God Change?
“Since God Is Sovereign, Why Pray?” Thank you for such a thorough answer to this question and related issues. Though a Christian for many years and though I understood it all, times of affliction can dig up doubts. This full-orbed discussion was just what I needed.
Rev. Michael Babcock ( senior minister, Calvin OPC, Phoenix, AZ) ” God is sovereign. This world is not out of control. He works all things for His purpose. I needed that. This is what lead me to the Reformed faith.” Rev. Babcock was born and raised Roman Catholic. In his later years of high school he considered being a priest, to the extent of even studying among the monks at a monastery.
Sinclair Ferguson has a Westminster shorter catechism podcast. One question is read every weekday. It is nice to have the questions come into my podcast feed automatically. Are there any podcasts like this for the 3 forms of unity that make it easy? If it is done for me, I’m more likely to consistently listen.
Will work on it.
Thanks Dr. Clark. That was fast.