Can I Ask That? – Part Twenty Five – Prayer
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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2018%3A1-8&version=NLT
Head/Mind – Let’s Start with a Hard Question
If God is all-knowing, all loving, unchanging, and already at work in the world, how can we hope to make any change in our world through prayer? And, if we think that our prayers might have a chance of changing the world, doesn’t that presume that we know better than an all-knowing God, that God is not already relating to the situation, that God does not actively desire a better outcome for a troubled situation, or that we can influence God to do something he was not already inclined to do? The 18th Century philosopher, Immanuel Kant, said “It is also an absurd and at the same time a presumptuous delusion to try, through the insistent obstructiveness of one’s requesting, [to persuade] God to be diverted from the plan of his wisdom. Therefore, we cannot regard through any prayer that a normal object as one that will be heard.” [Translation: “If you think that your prayers are going to change anything, you might as well forget about it.” Religion Within the Bounds of Bare Reason, 1792, p. 198.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_within_the_Bounds_of_Bare_Reason
And, even though most people in the West have never read Immanuel Kant, I am afraid that his way of thinking has soaked through our entire culture, leaving even the most devout Christians unsure about prayer. And, there is no better gauge of the health of our faith than the strength of our prayer lives. Thus, there is nothing we can do that is more important to strengthening our faith communities than strengthening the prayer lives of our people. Thus, we must give some kind of response to idea that our prayers fall on the deaf ears of the universe, or upon the ears of a God who leaves no place for us to participate in the his plans.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, says that the “Fervent prayers of a the righteous are powerfully and avail much.” If we believe that, then we will feel compelled to come to God, again and again, to pour out our hearts before him.
C. S. Lewis says,
In every action, just as in every prayer, you are trying to bring about a certain result; and this result must be good or bad. Why, then, do we not argue as the opponents of prayer argue, and say that if the intended result is good God will bring it to pass without your interference, and that if it is bad he will prevent it from happening whatever you do? Why wash your hands? If God intends them to clean, they’ll come clean without your washing them. If he doesn’t, they’ll remain dirty however much soap you use. Why use soap. At dinner, why ask for salt? Before a hike, why put on your boots? Why do anything at all?
We know that we can act and that our actions produce results. Everyone who believes in God must therefore admit (quite apart from the question of prayer) that God has not chosen to write the whole of history with his own hand. Most of the events that go on in the universe are indeed out of our control, but not all of them. It is like a scene in a great story. The general outline of the story is fixed by the author, but certain minor details are left for the actors to improvise. It may be a mystery why he should have allowed us to cause real events at all; but it is no odder that he should have allowed us to cause them by praying than by any other method.
It would perhaps be truer to say that he invented both prayer and physical action for that purpose. He gave us small creatures the dignity of being able to contribute to the course of events in two different ways…The two methods by which we are allowed to produce events may be called work and prayer…What we do when we weed a field is not quite different from what we do when we pray for a good harvest. But there is a an important difference all the same.
You cannot be sure of a good harvest whatever you do to a field. But you can be sure that if you pull up one weed that one weed will no longer be there. You can be sure that if you drink more than a certain amount of alcohol you will ruin your health or that if we go on for a few centuries more wasting the resources of the planet on wars and luxuries we will shorten the life of the whole human race. The kind of causality we exercise by work is, so to speak, divinely guaranteed, and therefore ruthless. By it we are free to do ourselves as much harm as we please. But the kind which we exercise by prayer is not like that; God has left himself a discretionary power. Had he not done so, prayer would be an activity too dangerous for people and we should have a horrible estate from its misuse.
Prayers are not always – in the crude, factual sense of the word – ‘granted.’ This not because prayer is a weaker kind of causality, but because it is a stronger kind. When it ‘works’ at all it works unlimited by space and time. That is why God has retained a discretionary power of granting or refusing it; except on that condition, prayer would destroy us. It is not unreasonable for a headmaster to say, ‘Such and such things you may do according to the fixed rules of the school. But such and such other things are too dangerous to be left to general rules. If you want to do them you must come and make a request and talk over the who matter with me in my study. And then-we’ll see.’ C. S. Lewis, God in The Dock pages 105-107.
That is what C.S Lewis has to say to Immanuel Kant But what does Jesus have to say to him? To look for his answer we turn our attention to today’s passage. In the last part of chapter seventeen, Jesus talks about the troubles that are coming upon our world. He does not tell us that life will be easy for any us. But, he does tell us that believers can face trials and persevere as we persist in prayer.
Jesus tells a story about a judge who neither feared God nor cared for people. According to the Torah, these are the two most important attributes for a good judge: a regard for justice (which is a fear of God) and compassion for people. Again and again, the Torah tells us that God is concerned for widows, orphans, and, foreigners – the most vulnerable members of ancient society. God has also promised judgment against those who oppress them. So, here we are. A good judge must have a fear of God and compassion toward the most needy and vulnerable. This judge had neither. He was simply not qualified for his post, nonetheless, there he was anyway. Have you ever had to serve under an unqualified person? This was the case of the widow in our story. Her governmental leader was not fit for his post. Yet, she had no other recourse than to make her appeal to him.
This woman comes demanding justice. She was in the right in this dispute. She was not asking for special favors. At first, he ignores her, and only much later relents and does the right thing. The unjust judge gives into her requests only because she is wearing him out.
The first thing Jesus shows us in this story is that God is not like this judge. He is not avoiding us. He is not bothered by us. In fact, he desire our presence. He delights in our prayers. John Paul II was asked about prayer. He was also asked if when we received the Holy Spirit, if we only received some of God’s presence. In other words, is it possible to only have some of God? The answer is no. God never gives only part of himself. But you know who does? We do. We give only some of our self to God, holding back on him. But God holds nothing back. That’s what the incarnation is about. When Jesus becomes human it is God giving of his full self. And, when he sends the Holy Spirit, it is God saying that he is always available, permanently and forever. The only question in the equation is is our availability. In fact, Jesus himself says as much at the end of the story. God will keep his promises. The question is, when Jesus returns will he find any specimen of living faith?
N.T. Wright makes it even more clear. Some mystical types say that prayer is just getting in touch with our own inner reality. For others, they say that the gods are a long ways off, and if you hope to get in touch with them, you are going to have to shout very loudly, or know some special way of praying that will get you a breakthrough with them. For Jewish and Christian people, prayer was never like this. The Lord was and is the Creator of the world and the One who has entered into a covenant relationship with his people. He promised that he would be their God and they would be his people. And so, in the Old Testament you find people wrestling with God, arguing with God, adoring God, and pleading with God. There is a holy boldness that comes through. In Jesus, this God enters into our life, taking on our sufferings, and promising to lead us to abundant life. Thus, New Testament writers encourage us to pray constantly, calling on Jesus who has bridged any gap between us and God, sending his Spirit to create a constant link between us and God.
In and through prayer, we join God in his work. The two belong together. God’s plan has always included his people playing a vital role in the world’s redemption. Prayer is the means by which this work happens. Prayer changes us as much as it changes anything. But, that said, we fully believe that God is at work, through his Son and Holy Spirit, directing the world to its intended goal. But, in the meantime, there is real sorrow and tragedy. There is great suffering, sin, death, and injustice. But God is not distant. But neither is he a God who brings about his will by simply pushing everyone else off stage and become the sole actor in a cosmic monologue. That is a heresy known as Monism. Monism is the belief that God is the only real actor on the stage. The world and history involve on one character. Christianity teaches us that the Central character in history does not act that way. Instead, he inserts himself into the story, taking the suffering of the world upon himself, so that the story can be redeemed from the inside out. And he call us on us, his followers, to take up our cross, offering our lives for the sake of the world. Whatever else prayer means, it means meeting heart to heart with the God who sets the world’s redemption in motion by means of the cross.
But something more must be said.
Heart – The Personal Connection
IMBegger has great video which I have linked below.
He reminds us that the heart of prayer is to fall in love with God and to allow prayer to become a love affair with the God who loves us beyond measure. When the ancient Jews and Christians read the Song of Solomon, they recognized that its erotic poetry paints a picture of romantic love. But they also knew that that alone was not why it was in the canon. It sign to a greater, deeper, more intimate love that any human love can be. It is there to invite us into a deeper love of God. When it that happens, we begin to think of prayer differently, and so, I present three ingredients that are needed for successful prayer.
The First is Presence – Remember, God is already present and available. Prayer is when we make ourselves available to God. Prayer is giving God our attention.
The Second is Heart – There are no good prayers or bad prayers, because God doesn’t hear the words, he hears our heart. Prayers, even really good prayers, like The Lord’s Prayer and the Psalms are just there to prime the pump and get us moving in the right direction. Even those of us who love prayer books and the Psalms know that these ancient words just get our prayer feet moving. Once we are moving in the right direction, the words become so unimportant. Formal prayers just set us moving in the right direction. But the goal is not words, but a meeting of two hearts – our heart and God’s heart.
Trust – We have to know and trust the character of God. Immanuel Kant and other important thinkers raise interesting questions, but in the presence of our Heavenly Father, we are just children. And the child of a loving Parent simply runs into the arms of that mom or dad. When we come into the throne room of God, we do not have to be a philosopher or theologian. We can come to him with child-like faith. And, its not that God doesn’t welcome or cannot handle our questions. It’s just that when we come to God, we are seeking more than answers. We are seeking that which can keep our souls from withering in the harsh conditions of this fallen world.
https://youtu.be/eGqQKmvN8T0?si=bTnAGFDxOnhZ32SX
Without prayer, our faith will die, just like a plant without water. Prayer is to the soul what breathing is to the body. Pray is to our hears, what water is to the thirsty man.
Hands – The Practical Application
So now, let me just give some very practical ideas for prayer. First, if you cannot think of anything to say, but feel like you need to say something, pick up the Book of Psalms. https://youtu.be/j9phNEaPrv8?si=Dr3Uz2EiITuJ_bzi, https://youtube.com/playlist?list=RDEM2aYtA9DYrLLH6EaDeoPbEQ&playnext=1&si=q-h_PoyRvx3AR9ly. Or, use some ancient prayers, like the Prayer Book of the Anglican Church http://oremus.org, or just use some good music to be your prayers. https://www.youtube.com/live/wgrUVHdaGc8?si=MzYrz0YpB2LWI_IH.
Whenever you use any of these, it is just like asking a friend to pray with you. They help you to find the right words. But remember, these words are not magic. No words are really adequate. They are only meant to get you moving in the right direction.
My second suggestion is this, keep it short. Pray shorter more frequent prayers such as,
“Help Me” – whenever I am scared, unsure of myself, confused, or overwhelmed I simply say, “help me.”
When I just want to direct my love toward God, I simply whisper, “I Love You.” Nothing more has to be said.
When I feel grateful, I simply say, “Thank you.”
When I know that I have done something wrong or left some good deed left undone, I say,
“I’m Sorry or Forgive Me”
And sometimes, when I need to be more aware of what God is up to, and where and how he is at work around me, I say,
“Show me. Help me to see.” Or, “Help me understand.” I then try to shut up listen; to wait and observe. Sometimes no words at all are needed. All that is really needed is to make ourselves available to God. That, after all, is what prayer is really about.