Prayer
…just gotta keep hoping and praying.
Some body said this to me the other day about my exams. As you may have picked up, I did not do very well on my exams. Hopefully, my coursework will be able to pull me out of the rut I have dug myself!
I don’t get prayer. Not at all. I know its a ‘conversation’ with God, but its a pretty boring one. It seems one way. Maybe its more of a metaphor; saying prayer is like a conversation. A conversation suggests dialogue. Person A says one thing in which Person B replies. This doesn’t seem to happen much with God. I pray, he answers, but not in a conversational way, but an active way. Thats why I don’t like to think of it as a ‘conversation’.
So what is prayer? How should we pray? I’ve been told its important, even preached on it, but I don’t get the logistics of it. For example when we pray “that Person C will become a Christian” is that a valid prayer? We are asking that God intervenes so that they become a Christian, is this infringing on their free will? “I pray that Person C follows you” Is that not saying, I hope they change their minds and follow you. Should we pray these prayers?
And how about with exams? Should we pray that we get good marks? That the examiner will go easy with the marking? Is there any point praying for something after it has happened or is it too late? Why does praying more (in time and number of people) make a difference?
I haven’t really read up on prayer in the Bible so I probably should go to do so, however I still want to ask you “What is prayer?” I’d like to hear your views.
January 26th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
‘Now it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, that one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John as taught his disciples.”
So he said to them, “when you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be Your name
Your Kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in Heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us ours sins
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us
And do not lead us into temptation
But deliver us from the evil one.”
Luke 11:1-4
I’m tempted to leave it there, but i know writing a familiar passage to you would be a lame post. But isn’t this prayer just amazing. A great model and nothing like the prayers i ever say or have been taught. there’s no ‘let me pass my exams’ or ‘may person C be a Christian’…there is nothing…except ‘let your kingdom come’…I know you’ve heard this before…but i think its amazing
Another thing. I was told Amen meant ‘I agree’ but i think it means ’so be it’.
‘I agree’ is a closing statement, which says, ‘yep, what you said i think as well, we agree’. But saying ’so be it’ is more like saying ‘lets do it’…its like finishing a prayer by walking out the doors and acting on it.
Sometimes Christianity seems more about making sure you agree with everyone, instead of going out and doing stuff…
peace and kisses
February 1st, 2008 at 5:31 am
Hey Steve,
its a question I’ve asked many a time. Got to agree with Tim in that what we should pray is “Thy will be done!” Its a hard prayer - when you have a job interview for something you really want praying “Thy will be done” means if there’s a better place for me to be I understand I might not get this job. Not easy hey?
However saying that I recommend a book by Brother Andrew called “And God changed His mind because His people prayed”. Sounds quite controversial? I thought so but its an amazing book about the heart of God. He has given us the power of prayer which is amazing but we need to learn to use it. Its been a real eye opener to me about the way God can use our prayers. I know its quite difficult to get hold of (and I haven’t finished reading it yet) but I have a copy if you want to borrow it.
It does say
“If my people who are known by my name will humble themselves and pray THEN I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land” 2 Chronicles 7 v14
there seems to be a condition attached there. We have to pray!
Also the whole conversation thing…just a thought. Have you ever tried not praying for anything in particular but just spending time prayerfully in the presence of God? Sometimes it doesn’t feel like a conversation because we are doing all the talking! Maybe bring something before God, then wait. Maybe some music or a Bible might help you focus and God might actually speak through these or sometimes He speaks quietly into our hearts.
Sorry thats so long. Hope some of its useful.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
People becoming christians:
imo praying for them to become a christian is not good, as you say it goes against free will, and God cannot answer that prayer.
I pray, to sum it up;
God remove obstacles, let people see life and death, the choices they have, as they truly are. Let them see them fully so they can make a choice.
Exams:
if you ain’t done the work, suck it up and prepare for a bad grade. If something has happened [you have amnesia, someone died, stressful situation etc.] then pray for God to allow you to get a good grade [leave the how to him]. Generally, just pray for peace and for the stuff to come to your memory is a good prayer.
^^