If Allah has a plan, what is the point of Dua?

[drfuzzy]

I cannot speak to the Islamic perception of prayer, I don't know enough about it.  So I enjoy reading this thread.  

I can only discuss the Protestant/Catholic version.  I have heard many, many preachers say that prayer is not about asking for anything for ourselves, other than to be open to the voice of god, in order to follow his will for our lives.  Many preachers also insist that a lot of prayer should consist of giving thanks for what we have, and praising god for being so wonderful.  

Well, there is (supposedly) a prayer given to us by god himself (for those who believe that Jesus was god):  (Comments in parenthesis mine.)

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. 
       (Essentially, you are All-Holy and we look forward to your Reign on Earth.)
Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven.
       (Since it is impossible for "god's will" to NOT happen, this is probably just submission and an assertion of support.)
Give us this day our daily bread.     (<- Wait, that's asking for something.  "Don't let us starve!")
And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us.    
       ("Forgive Us" is also asking, tho' apparently we're supposed to be forgiving to deserve forgiveness.)
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.    
       (Don't let us be tempted, and deliver us from . . . ???  -- Probably means help us follow the rules.)
For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
       (Eternal, All-Powerful, Glorious . . . start with praise, end with praise.)

So, as Jesus is praying to himself, he DOES ask to have enough food, and for forgiveness for infractions (as long as we're willing to forgive) and to keep our feet on the straight-and-narrow path of obedience . . . and possibly, some protection from temptation to stray from that path - or something.
    So he's not asking for material things, or for wealth, or for power of any kind, and he's doing a lot of praising.  -- Not a lot of thanking, but I can't see how that would be a bad thing.  (Thankfulness makes for a good meditation exercise, without any attempt to telepathically connect with a deity.)    

I just don't get it though, and I spent over 40 years doing a LOT of praying.  If there is a Deity there, I just can't fathom why it needs to be praised.