Perhaps you’ve heard of the SETI project—the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence. The project searched for evidence of life outside of our solar system and in other star systems.
Most of the searches in the last 60 years involved using large
antennas trying to eavesdrop on any radio signals that aliens (if they exist) might be transmitting. Most SETI projects
these days use radio telescopes outfitted with highly sensitive and specialized
receivers.
NASA funded this
effort until it was canceled in 1993. Since that time, it has been funded by
private donations. In spite of spending hundreds of
millions of dollars searching for intelligence in outer space, no alien signals have been picked up. Not even one.
Yet, you and I can
communicate at any time with an Intelligence far beyond our solar system—the Creator
of the entire universe! And it doesn’t require a radio telescope to do it.
Do you realize that
prayer isn’t a duty, but a privilege? God could have said, “There’s no such
thing as prayer. It doesn’t exist. You’re not allowed to talk to me. I refuse
to help you if you’re in trouble. You’re on your own. If you need assistance, I’m
sorry, but you don’t have a prayer.”
Imagine going your entire life without being
able to talk to God.
But if you don’t pray, it’s the same thing as if there were no such thing as
prayer. Prayer can actually move God to make things happen on earth that otherwise wouldn’t happen,
which explains why it’s such a magnificent privilege. Your prayers can bring
about salvation, wisdom, provision, protection, guidance, and positive change
in others. It’s also the way you release your burdens to God (Phil. 4:6-7).
One
day I said, “Lord, this universe is so huge and I’m so small. Why would you
want to speak to me?” The thought came to me, I don’t want to only speak with you. I want to talk to everyone else in
the world too.