Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of them who diligently seek Him.” To seek His face and bask in His divine presence is to feel the joy and comfort He gives. He rewards the diligent seeker. Prayer is a genuine effort of our spirit to communicate to a high and holy spirit in the person of the Eternal Father. Such people do not say their prayers; they pray. The difference between the two is the difference between the prayer of faith and the prayer of ritual and formality. An atheist denies the evidence of God’s existence and will not pray because he has no faith. The practical atheist will merely say his prayers because he has no faith, either. He claims to believe in God in the sense of accepting a higher power. But, he does not trust Him. He does not seek to sit with him or talk to Him about any and everything. He does not give Him honor and glory for the protective canopy of His loving hand? By the way, many atheists can see through a practical atheist and mock faith in God all the more. While he admits, “There is no God and plays the role of a fool by rejecting the abundant evidence, the practical atheist claims there is a God, but foolishly fails to act on the faith that he claims. One is no worse than the other for neither of them is recognized by God as His child.
The prayer of faith from God’s children, however, will find them on their knees as a common way of life. That’s is where they are most comfortable. All fear and doubt have faded. I can remember the same feeling of comfort with my earthly Father. When I was a child, I thought he could do anything. My confidence in Him grew with each time I witnessed him accomplish some amazing feat. Being where he was, I felt safe. There are moments in our spiritual walk with our Heavenly Father that I just sit in His presence with an overwhelming sense of security and comfort. At those moments, I have nothing to say, except, “Oh, my Father, You and You alone are holy and I thank you for letting me sit with you.” You who have come to that relationship with Him understand that there is no better place on earth I’d rather be than in His presence.