Old Testament Prayer versus New Testament Prayer

As our understanding of God changes our approach of Him must change also. The prayers and appeals of Israel in the Old Testament often read like voodoo incantations and those who prayed them often expected them to work like incantations. For example, in 2 Chronicles 14:11 King Asa, before battle, prays "Lord, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you." To me, that's the Hebrew equivalent of a Double-Dog-Dare, and amazingly enough God seems to take the dare! Asa, though vastly outnumbered, crushes his enemy. Jesus and the Apostles make it clear that God is not a god of magic; He does as He will, not because of the words we use or the things we do but because of who He is and how He chooses to love us. So why do these Old Testament incantations seem so often to work like magic?

My son Judah is 19 months old. He has just learned the word "this" and he's not afraid to use it. When he can't reach something he points his little finger, looks you right in the eye and says in his most plaintive, desperate little voice, "dis?" He then proceeds to scream bloody murder when you won't give it to him. Judah's, like Israel's, is a problem of understanding: he does not yet understand that his incantation - pointing and begging "dis?" - is not the reason I often do as he desires. Nor does he understand that "dis" is not the most appropriate way to ask.

It's important to remember that Israel's understanding of God was very limited before Jesus, God's perfect revelation, came into history, and though our understanding of God is still limited (exceedingly so) our understanding of how He wants to be approached does not have to be. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:5-13 exactly how God wishes to be approached. To put it briefly; He wants to be approached simply, quietly, and with the focus on Him - not us. Prayer isn't a spell to get what we want, it's communication with our Maker. Sure, we may ask for what we want and need but with the understanding that He already knows our desires and the humble attitude that He, being a good parent, will respond to our needs and desires according to His judgment, which is by definition better than ours.

To answer the original question, the OT incantations worked because God loves His people and desires to prosper them, not because of how they asked - words have no power over Him - but because they asked and because it was His will to do so.