Thoughts to consider regrding prayer

PRAYER, noun In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness (sincere and intense conviction).

The word prayer has evolved to now mostly only being associated with God or religion. However originally that was not the case. As with most things this evolution has caused an erosion of understanding regarding actual effective prayer and it’s purpose.    

For example I am sure mostly everyone has heard of the sad condition of Lamar Odom. Since considering prayer let me share some of my thoughts regarding the requests for prayer for him. First let’s be honest, people say my prayers are with you yet truly won’t utter a word. Perhaps what is meant is that they have thoughts and feelings about the situation. Perhaps that’s just something people say now to console themselves and others, a way of unifying or signifying we all desire that the situation were different. But is that prayer?

 

 

It seems that the premise is ask as many people as possible to pray.  Is it just something that we say or is it that we are somehow comforted by the knowledge that many are praying? Is it that we really think that God will be moved by the number of people making the same request? If we are even making the same request at all. Consider that people may have various request.  One may pray that he no longer suffer and pass, another that he recover, still another for a miracle, some may just want him to survive, all and all God’s will be done.  Yet, I continue to wonder why if you pray it is needful for me to pray as well. Does God hear because of the multitude of those speaking? Is God withholding whatever (the answer to prayers) until He determines that enough people have petitioned Him? Is this even the purpose of prayer, to get our desired outcome?

 

The more I consider our behaviors the more I think our practices of “prayer” are mostly about us and what makes us look and feel good and less about the true purpose of prayer. For God is true and in light of who God is our antics regarding prayer seem foolish.