During our Hebrew School service yesterday, one student commented that he thought praying was a waste of time because we're not supposed to ask God to do things for us, we should help ourselves. Another student responded that we pray to ask God for support so that we can do better at helping ourselves. God creates the possibility of redemption, teaches us our responsibility to work towards redemption and gives us the resources of body, mind and spirit we need. The rest is up to us. Even revelation requires our participation.
Successful communication requires both a speaker and a listener.
We are God's partners in the work of revelation, both as we listen and as we help others to hear. God plants the potential for growth in the world and in us. In requiring our help to make that potential real, God gave us both a responsibility and a gift. We are like children, whose parent doesn't really need their help to do chores around the house. Nonetheless, the parent gives the children tasks to complete in order to teach responsibility, to give a feeling of importance and to nurture the feeling of connection.