I have been rather absent this week, partly because I have been tired, partly because no.2 has been off school ill and partly because my brain needed a break from all the stuff I have been questioing and posting on recently. Well I thought a break would be nice, but seems like God has other ideas as there’s always other issues appearing in my brain to be analysed. So this week, while I have been quietly trying to ignore him, the thing that has come up is prayer. I believe in the power of prayer, even this morning I prayed about something that someone then came and talked to me about at church. But… if God knows everything and has it all mapped out for us – why do we need to pray to him? I don’t mean giving thanks or in praise, but in asking him for things or praying for someone in need. If he knows the outcome why should our prayer make any difference? I recognise that this also links in with the predetermination discussion, ie: that if he know who is going to be saved, why do we need to evangelise etc etc.. Someone recently, in talking about a road accident in relation to prayer, said, ‘what about that girl who died – did she not pray enough? was no one praying for her?’ and I thought, no that’s ridiculous, it was a freak accident. ok so maybe you could start talking about the force of evil, but in relation to prayer or lack of it I was a bit stumped.
As always would love to know your thoughts…
5 Comments
Alan Crawley
May 23, 2010 at 6:01 pmDavid Winter once said that he arrived in a new job to find a notice which said "Prayer changes things" – he pondered this for a while and changed it to read "Prayer changes me and I change things".
If you accept that then prayer is to change us.
Lesley Fellows
May 23, 2010 at 6:15 pmHi Red
My brain hurts too. The above story was an important part of my faith journey, although I always leave off David's name when I tell it because his daughter told us and I haven't heard it from the man himself
Keep questioning – your great
And do you REALLY think that fasting twists God's arm?
Off to raid the chocolate cupboard!
Lesley
PS could God include us in amazing things to encourage us – that is what I used to think – not sure whether it is what I think now.
Jules
May 24, 2010 at 2:53 pmThanks Lesley!
still unsure on the arm twisting – will post on that sometime.
I'm not sure that I can accept prayer just being to change US. Because then why pray for others? Ok, so you could say that we grow in ourselves if we help others, or indeed if we try to help others by praying for them. But I can't accept that, even subconsciously, that I would do that for others when its soley for my own benefit. Have I got that way off? Is that not what he is saying?
mmm chocolate now that sounds like a good idea….
Finally Free
May 24, 2010 at 11:48 pmGreat Question? For me I have settled on "it's a mystery." I believe in the power of prayer. I believe God sometimes says "yes" "no" and(not yet).
I don't think there are any simple or pat answers. The Bible calls us to pray and God is sovereign. (Mystery)
I really had to wrestle with this when my mentor was sick. I had so much faith that I was praying for Him when he had been brain dead for 15 minutes and revived. He passed away that day.
I will never forget holding on to his feet when he was in a coma and praying with all my heart that God would let him live.
I did find outlater that He had told the nurses that he wanted to go to Home to God. He also had cried out for God to relieve his suffering in the middle of the night. He had been in the hospital for about 8 months in ICU recovering from a liver translant. So… for me I believe God heard him and answered his request and I realized I am just a human and I don't know and can't understand everything.
Please keep posting these thought provoking questions. It helps us all process through our faith. I think questions are good.
It challenges me to really know what I believe and why.
Blessings,
Tammy
Jules
May 25, 2010 at 7:09 amThanks Tammy – yes you're right, we are mere humans and we can't possibly understand all of it. Glad you like the questions as I'm sure there are plenty more to come!
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