"...then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Wow! What a great formula for success! If (people = humble + pray + seek + turn), then (God = hear + forgive + heal.) Great! Now we know how to pray!
Or not. Despite the existence of significant theological differences regarding a myriad of Biblical topics, one point of agreement among most Christians is that prayer does not work like a mathematical formula. If not that, then, perhaps prayer works on a volume basis...the more people who pray in agreement, the more likely God is to respond? Or maybe like a vending machine, a bank account, or a scorecard? If none of these, how DOES prayer work? Or does it work? If we're not sure how it works, is there a point to even doing it?
What is the point of prayer if not to express our heart’s desire, especially when it matches what we know to be God’s will on earth? Who knows what will happen when we pray what we know God desires?
I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them. Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness. When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person. (Philip Yancey, Prayer, p. 268, 303)
Thoughts?
Or not. Despite the existence of significant theological differences regarding a myriad of Biblical topics, one point of agreement among most Christians is that prayer does not work like a mathematical formula. If not that, then, perhaps prayer works on a volume basis...the more people who pray in agreement, the more likely God is to respond? Or maybe like a vending machine, a bank account, or a scorecard? If none of these, how DOES prayer work? Or does it work? If we're not sure how it works, is there a point to even doing it?
What is the point of prayer if not to express our heart’s desire, especially when it matches what we know to be God’s will on earth? Who knows what will happen when we pray what we know God desires?
I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them. Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness. When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person. (Philip Yancey, Prayer, p. 268, 303)
Thoughts?
1 comments:
Love the idea of opening my eyes to see the other person as God does. What an amazing way to be able to pray for them, as the Father shows you their love for Him. I think this comes back to humility, as initially stated. Humility when sought earnestly gets me out of the way, and it allows God the opportunity to work, regardless of me.
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