Questions about Prayer

Paul’s words to us from Romans 12 today are:  Be faithful in prayer.   

There are so many different views of prayer and always so many questions that surround prayer.   The basic question is, “How much do my prayers move God to action?”  with sub-questions like, “if I pray more times is God more likely to act"” or “if more people pray about something does that lead God to do something different?”  Or even the questions, “Do the exact words that I pray make a difference?” or “is it my lack of faith when I am praying that is causing my requests to be seemingly ignored by God?”

My answers to all those questions are, “I don’t know.”  But here are some things I do know:

1)  We are encouraged to pray by Jesus Himself.

2)  More than once in scripture we are encouraged to pray “faithfully” — both consistently and with a great deal of faith.

3)  Prayer changes us — our hearts, our minds, our relationships…. being in communion with God changes who we are.

4)  God knows.   Before we ask.  Even when we don’t ask.  He knows what we need and he knows what is best.

5)  God cares.  He loves us more than anyone else and not only knows but wants what is best for us.

6)  He gives the best to those who leave the choice with HIm.

In summary,  if we are truly surrendered to God as we pray — we are changed.   Our hearts, our desires are changed and God gives us what is best.  Now we just have to remind ourselves daily that that is enough.