This is the heart of prayer - not getting things from God, but getting God.
This quote emphasizes a profound shift in the understanding of prayer. Traditionally, many approach prayer as a means to obtain certain desires, blessings, or outcomes from a higher power. However, Mathis highlights that the true essence of prayer transcends the superficial request for favors; it is fundamentally about cultivating a deeper relationship with God Himself. When we focus solely on asking for things, our prayer life risks becoming transactional or self-centered, which can diminish the transformative nature of our communication with the divine. Instead, embracing prayer as a pursuit of God allows us to experience His presence, love, and grace as the ultimate fulfillment. This perspective invites believers to move beyond petitioning and instead lean into stillness, adoration, and listening, creating space where God’s voice and personality can be encountered within us.
By prioritizing the act of getting God, we align ourselves with a lifelong journey of intimacy and spiritual growth. It transforms prayer from a checklist or a means to an end into a sacred practice of knowing and being known by the divine. Such an approach nurtures our soul’s longing for connection and sustains us through life's challenges, knowing that communion with God is the greatest treasure. As Mathis suggests, this orientation shifts our entire spiritual experience, making prayer less about asking and more about relational closeness — discovering that in gaining God, we find true contentment and purpose. This concept echoes the biblical call to seek God's presence first and foremost, trusting that all other needs will be met as we deepen our relationship with Him.
