What’s the point of prayer?
”Let’s do prayer requests before we go home.”
“Would you pray for me? I’m having surgery tomorrow.”
“Lord, please, don’t let my daddy die.”
“God, please bring my friend the money he needs to save his house.”
One of the mnemonic devices we teach to remind people how to pray is ACTS. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. The first 3 make a lot of sense to me. Adoration: Tell God how awesome He is. In other words, let Him know that you recognize that about Him and love Him. Confession: Agree with God about the areas of your life that are keeping you from having increased intimacy with Him. Acknowledge to Him that you know that the things that impede your ability to walk with Him are from the evil one and ask Him to show you how to avoid stumbling in the future. Thanksgiving: Remember the good things God has done and allowed you to see. Thank Him for for His manifold grace and love.
But, what about Supplication: Asking for God’s intervention in a particular circumstance? Intellectually, I know the Bible says to pray for one another. Intellectually, I know James said that we have not because we ask not. And, I can give a perfectly acceptable “Christianese” answer to why we are praying Intercessory/Supplication prayers. We are commanded to pray for one another, in part, to increase the bond of love, community and affection between us. When we intercede for another, we agree with God that only He is able to bridge some gaps.
But, once a year or so, I meander into struggling with this concept. When you get down to brass tacks, what does this really mean? Would God grant a prayer request that wasn’t in keeping with His Will? If something isn’t in keeping with God’s Will, then can it possibly be a good thing, or the right thing in a given circumstance? Would God do a less good thing in some circumstances because we asked Him to? And, if something is in God’s Will, and we don’t pray for it, then wouldn’t He do/allow it anyway?
Case in point. I had a friend who was diagnosed with leukemia in 10th grade. As soon as anyone knew Bill was sick, people started praying. We prayed and pleaded that God would heal him, or that He would allow the treatments (chemo and radiation) to do their job so Bill could be made whole. God didn’t answer those prayers with a, “Yes.” Bill died right before our senior year began.
Were we wrong to be praying that God would heal him? God didn’t, so, it wasn’t His will? If God’s not going to heal someone if it’s not His will to have them healed, then why on earth do we pray for people to be healed? Or to come through a surgery? Or to keep their job? Or to find a good friend when they move? Or…???
Do you struggle with something reagarding faith, the Bible, God, etc., and think you’re the only one who can’t get really comfortable and tidy about it? You’re not alone. And, that’s part of why we have this blog. What do you think about prayer? What are you uncomfortable/untidy about? What would you like to be able to ask God, face to face, without having to wait until after you die? When you talk to people who are earlier in their walk with God than you are, what’s the question you’re always afraid they are going to ask? Let’s meander together.
- Written by Alicia Hemphill
April 15th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I view supplication prayer as being about us and not about God. We ask for things that we or others want. It may or may not be in God’s will, but that’s not really the point. Supplication prayers make us feel better; it is our outlet to tell God that a certain situation is not acceptable to us. That situation may not change, but we have at least voiced our opinion. In so doing, we have done what we can and in many cases will come to a certain acceptance or peace about it.
April 16th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I think we have to look at prayer as asking our parent for something. When we were little and asked our mommies and daddies for something. The answer was yes or no. They answer like that because they’re older and wiser and know what’s good for us. God is our heavenly father and he does the same. He knows what’s best for us. I still believe we need to ask. I also think that a lot of the times that when we pray, we don’t ask in faith, believing that God will perform the task we ask him to. You know, I think of when I was pregnant with Trey. Everyone declared left and right that I was having a girl, the way my stomach was shaped, the sickness, etc. all showed I was having a girl. But I prayed and asked God for a boy because I knew that it was my husband’s greatest desire and I wanted him to have one. I asked in faith, not wavering. I asked a person before hand to pray with me that I have a boy and the person told me that “they don’t think that God works that way.” I answered, “Why not? He said to ask and that’s what I’m doing.” I went to God as a child asking and believing. I had the boy. I know sometimes it doesn’t look that simple, but I feel like God has a permissive will in some instances. Maybe God waits for us to ask to see if we’ll go to him in faith. That’s how I feel.
April 21st, 2008 at 5:44 pm
The thing is, God does heal miraculously. God does answer some prayers yes and some prayers no. I’ve been asking God for a very specific miracle for over three years now and have consistently gotten a “no.” And I’m at peace with that. The only thing I can fall back on is God’s wisdom and power. It is so beyond my own. At times, I will pray for something that looks like it’s completely within God’s will. And God will say “no.” And sometimes God say “yes,” and sometimes God says, “how about this option instead?”
This is one of those with no easy answers: I think the important thing is that we wrestle it out with God and find the answer that the Holy Spirit gives us.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
When I cycle through this struggle, I usually end up at mystery. God is too big for me to fully understand or predict His behavior in advance. Intercessory prayer and supplication fall into the category of mystery for me. I can understand aspects of it. I can rationalize parts of it to make it make sense. But, at the end of the day, I don’t really get it. Usually, that’s ok, and when it isn’t, well, God is still God and I’m still not.