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I would think that a family sitting down to lunch in Bakersfield who are praying to thank God for the bologna sandwiches and bean soup might get a little less notice than a parent praying for their child with a terminal illness. So what are your thoughts about prayers and why are they necessary?
MG,
I wanted to address the above. I don't think that God 'prioritizes' prayer. I think all prayer is equal. God knows all things. He knows our heart and he knows our needs. He knows our prayers before we ask them. And through Him all things are good. Sometimes (probably most) we humans cannot see them. Your above statement reminded me of dear, sweet Parker (Parker U » About Parker U). The Underwood Family went through such pain. But through their anguish, so many people were brought together in faith. Who knows how many lives were changed or how many people came to know Christ through this child's short life and this family's great faith.
You also talk of a family thanking God for their bologna sandwich and bean soup. Perhaps it is only bean soup that they usually enjoy and this is the first time that they have had some form of meat in quite a season. Maybe a neighbor shared their food. Maybe dad got a bonus. We do not know the needs of others. We do not know God's plan. All we can do is trust in God and know that through Him all things will bring good.
This also reminds me of arguy's recent thread, "like a child". (https://www.city-data.com/forum/chris...ike-child.html) If my children need something, they need to come to me. If they want a new toy, even a bowl of cereal, they come to me. This is what God wants of us; to bring our needs to Him. For me, prayer is just a conversation between me and God. It is constant. I bring my needs, my desires, and my gratefulness to God. As one of the faithful, he is my provider...of all things! Every breath I take.
Try reading the Bible through before asking such questions. The instructions to pray are right in there. Why are you asking people instead of Him?
Actually I've read the entire Bible when I was young. The reason I'm asking people is because I've already gotten responses because people are real. I did pray when I was in my early to mid teens but apparently no one was home. The last time I said a prayer was probably over fourty years ago. I just thought it was an interesting question and I think the responses were very good.
I heard some say once that when his little girl was having trouble tying her shoes, after trying many times, he would hear her coming down the hall, knowing she going to ask him to help her and how much enjoyed knowing that she was going to ask him for help, I think it's maybe that way with God, He know what we'll say before we say it, yet He enjoys communicating with us, He wants us to talk to Him. Like others have said, when I pray I ALWAYS feel comforted and better. And I agree with Weather, I don't think God prioritizes our prayers, He is able hear all of them equally, the greatest to the smallest and they ALL matter to Him.
Praying may not change my situation, but it does change me.
Last edited by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA; 06-06-2008 at 08:24 PM..
Reason: left out word
Actually I've read the entire Bible when I was young. The reason I'm asking people is because I've already gotten responses because people are real. I did pray when I was in my early to mid teens but apparently no one was home. The last time I said a prayer was probably over fourty years ago. I just thought it was an interesting question and I think the responses were very good.
As a devout golfer, I never pray on the golf course.
A starving man wandering through the desert stumbles upon a merchant.
Says the man to the merchant; " have you anything to eat?"
Says the merchant; " I only have neckties"
"NECKTIES! ARE YOU CRAZY! Where can I get some FOOD!" says the man
"Walk that way over that mountain" says the merchant
Days later, the exhausted man returns to the merchant, and says;
"I need you help, there was a sign outside the resturant that read,
DRESS CODE: MUST WEAR A NECKTIE
Reminds me of the old joke about the guy who prays to God to rescue him, as he watches the flood waters rising around his home. Soon, a boat comes along, and the people in it encourage the man to get in, so they can take him to safety, but he declines, saying that God will take care of him. Other people come, with boats, rafts, canoes, and what-have-you, and the man turns each one down, refusing to get on any of the watercraft, insisting that God will take care of him. During this time, he has to retreat from the first floor of his his home, up to his second floor, and then finally up to his rooftop, as the waters continue to rise. As he's standing there on the roof, (still praying the whole time, mind you, that God will rescue him), a helicopter comes along, and the people inside lower a ladder to him, yelling to him to grab it, and they will pull him to safety. Again, he declines, once again insisting that God will take care of him. Finally, the waters come over the house, and the man is drowned. His spirit goes to Heaven, where St. Peter conducts him to God's throne. The man is highly indignant, demanding to know why God did not save him from the flood waters. God looks down at the man, and says, "I sent you rafts, boats, canoes, and other types of watercraft. I even sent you a helicopter. What more did you want?".
Reminds me of the old joke about the guy who prays to God to rescue him, as he watches the flood waters rising around his home. Soon, a boat comes along, and the people in it encourage the man to get in, so they can take him to safety, but he declines, saying that God will take care of him. Other people come, with boats, rafts, canoes, and what-have-you, and the man turns each one down, refusing to get on any of the watercraft, insisting that God will take care of him. During this time, he has to retreat from the first floor of his his home, up to his second floor, and then finally up to his rooftop, as the waters continue to rise. As he's standing there on the roof, (still praying the whole time, mind you, that God will rescue him), a helicopter comes along, and the people inside lower a ladder to him, yelling to him to grab it, and they will pull him to safety. Again, he declines, once again insisting that God will take care of him. Finally, the waters come over the house, and the man is drowned. His spirit goes to Heaven, where St. Peter conducts him to God's throne. The man is highly indignant, demanding to know why God did not save him from the flood waters. God looks down at the man, and says, "I sent you rafts, boats, canoes, and other types of watercraft. I even sent you a helicopter. What more did you want?".
A post made by Old Gringo got me thinking about this question. If there's a God who is aware of little detail in the universe including the needs and thoughts of every living human being, why would a prayer be necessary? This also brings up another question. What exactly is a prayer and is it a special sort of communication from an individual directly to God that gets more notice than our everyday thoughts or behavior? I would also think that if God is really listening to every single prayer, and there must be millions of them at any given moment, that God would need to prioritize them. I would think that a family sitting down to lunch in Bakersfield who are praying to thank God for the bologna sandwiches and bean soup might get a little less notice than a parent praying for their child with a terminal illness. So what are your thoughts about prayers and why are they necessary?
I think the purpose of prayer is to connect us to God. I believe it is intended to change us not to call God's attention to our plights. He's aware of those and will deal with them how he deals with them but prayer can help us deal with them. It can change our views or give us strength.
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