I'm reading Practical Prayer by Derek Prime. It's a small book that lives up to it's name. Prime is insightful rather than clever about what the Bible teaches about prayer, and he exposits practical, helpful guidance for prayer. Some of the best teaching brings us fresh insight and motivation to apply the Bible to our lives.
I found his explanation on praying in Jesus' name and praying in the Spirit Biblical and insightful. Here's a summary of the points he makes about each of these aspects of prayer.
Praying in Jesus' name isn't a formula for how to end our prayers. It's a way to guide and ground our prayers.
Praying in Jesus' name means:
- Having faith in Him as we pray
- Praying in harmony with His will
- Prayer that reflects our union with Him
- Praying in a way that honors Him
- Praying in the authority of Jesus because He is the unique Son of God
Praying in the Spirit means:
- Our prayers reflect His life and power and are not mechanical
- Praying in sincerity and truth
- Exhibiting dependence upon His help and appreciating our helplessness without Him
- To be assured of our access into God's presence through Jesus
- To be guided by the Spirit in our requests by what He has taught us in the Bible; to pray for the glory of the Lord Jesus, our own sanctification, and the need of people who are without Christ
You know. I have a serious question about prayer that has prevented me from praying for sometime now. Actually, it makes me think prayer is just in our heads, and we make our own wishes come true.
See here’s the deal.
I know a couple who could never have kids. They never had the money to adopt either. They prayed and prayed, but they are old folks now. No kids. Now you have invitro for around $10K a pop, and you can adopt a kid for what around $25K if not more? So what really happened is MONEY just trumped prayer. It’s like prayer is like casting a dice as playing on luck. Like a last resort.
I have literally seen people dying of cancer and their families have been praying for them to be healed. They weren’t. Yet I have seen people pray to get a job after being let go and have found another job. What can you attribute to God and what do you attribute to man? I mean what’s going on here?
It just seems strange and cruel for me to think that God would string the family of a dying loved one on for years just to let them die a horrible death. Would you use the biblical passage, “I’ll have mercy on whom I’ll have mercy” on a dying child? Really? The whole prayer deal has become truly confusing to me. I’m sure this will draw out the “Everything happens for a reason” crowd. See my point though? Why pray? Really?
Posted by: Steve | April 29, 2010 at 03:02 PM
I have also had this thought. like a lot. I do think there is the side of "everything happens for a reason," that is an argument that can't be ignored, Sometimes we just don't know why, and yes there is disappointment in that.
But I think the real thing here is that you shouldn't be disappointed, because if you think about it, what we ask for isn't usually important. All the things you listed are kinda secondary, aren't they? For example, which is more important, That the cancer patient lives, or that he knows God? That the childless family has a child, or that they trust God that He'll do the best thing?
Prayer can be disappointing when you think of it like that, but if you are then I don't think you're understand prayer. It's not about asking and expecting, it's about trusting that God will do what's right, even if that means letting someone die.That's what prayer is about, at least it is when we're asking for something.Say, it's more like if the childless couple has a kid, they'd praise God, but if they don't, they still love and trust Him.
Posted by: Miki | April 29, 2010 at 06:18 PM
"Cancer is the best thing that happened to me" - Zac Smith's story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Qb1qdXn4o
Posted by: Woodrow Cantrell | May 22, 2010 at 06:36 PM