What about prayer?
I was recently asked what I thought about calls for prayer, or fasting and prayer. I actually have some pretty specific feelings about this. And people who know me might be surprised.
It's not uncommon to hear people ask for prayer, even folks who would be considered to be Pagans will ask for group prayer. I think this question stemmed form some politician making a statement for people to pray. As to the fasting part, I know that there are a lot of references to prayer and fasting in scripture. I knew a man years ago who frequently fasted and prayed. In the times that I've known of people fasting, it's typically seemed like they were going on a hunger strike. A method and attempt to move God? Just doesn't seem right to me.
The question that comes to mind, is why are they making this request? Or what is it that they want? That's most frequently what prayers are, asking God to do something.
Are you asking God to heal the land, while you still want to kill unborn babies? Or produce Hollywood porn?
For the most part, our problems are a result of how we've lived. God gave us instructions, when we ignore them, then things go bad. So now it's time to ask for Him to fix it? But we're not alone, history is replete with societies that have done the same. I remember a Christian comedian stand up routine about eating a donut. He prayed, Lord please transform this donut into something nutritious on the way down.
And while I frequently hear stuff like, your past does not dictate your present or future, sorry but it really does. Things that I did over 30 years ago still today have an impact.
I know a lot of people who will profess a strong belief that prayers are always answered. The frequent religious answer is that God always answers, with either yes or no. And some people will add, wait, which is still no. Most testimonies that I've heard revolve around prayer in some way. Usually testimonies are; something bad happened, the person prayed, and then God moved and life became good. Of late I am very suspect of most testimonies.
I also think when most people ask about prayer, they are looking for some formula or method to move God. But there are no formulas.
We can look at the section in the gospel of Luke, the disciples ask Jesus; "Lord teach us to pray". And so we get an example. I think something in this is missing here, I've often thought that the request was not for a formula at this time, but rather they wanted to have the discipline to pray daily.
More along the lines of, teach us to have a life of prayer. We can see that Jesus certainly had that, and I know a lot of folks who do also.
My attitude today is quite different than it was a few years ago. I used to start every day with prayer, but quite honestly, one can only knock on a door that stays closed for so long. Prayer today, even the thought of prayer, most times brings a certain level of depression. I know people who give these great testimonies of how God moved, healed or did some miracle. Maybe, maybe not. I've been involved in group prayer for no small number of people who have died.
I have few friends, at least what I would consider to be friends. Right now I have a friend who has been in the hospital for months. I know that he, his family, and church are praying. I know their church gathered at the hospital to pray, still he is there.
I frequently hear that one must have faith for God to move. Or that God can't or won't move unless one has a certain amount of faith. If this is true, then God is not sovereign and omnipotent. Essentially you are saying my lack of faith can stop God from doing what God wants to do.
The bottom line is that I really don't know what to think about prayer, or the efficacy of group prayers. If group prayers changed things then wars would have stopped much sooner, storms would disperse, sick would recover, and so on.
There is the sovereignty of God. He does what He wants to do. Sometimes it lines up with what we want too.
I remember a line from the movie, War Games. They are trying to stop the computer from starting a nuclear war by playing tic-tac-toe. General Beringer says; "I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it'd do any good". I sometimes think that's the attitude of politicians when they ask people to pray. They've done everything they can think of so now let's try prayer. Still, if you don't stop doing what caused the problem, how can God fix it?
An aspect of prayer, the life of prayer, is simply a constant acceptance that God is indeed sovereign and almighty, and that He does know what I need, and when He decides to make things change then He will.
This I can honestly say that I have daily. I acknowledge that God is in control, that He is sovereign, that I have problems, and everything that I have comes from His hands. Most of my problems come from things I did a long time ago, some of our current problems come from something that someone else did.
I simply must accept that God does not want to fix these things.
It's either that or God differentiates between the saints. Why is my friend still in the hospital when others have recovered? Why has it been nearly 2 years since my wife was rear ended and still she is not whole? Yet I know others who have had similar situations and they have fully recovered.
I don't believe that anyone has gotten the Why question answered.
Prayer is certainly a question, one to which I do not have an answer.
