Every other week, Harvest has placed a Facebook Ad that invites people to share their prayer requests through FB Messenger. I've had the honor of praying for close to 50 people over the past few months and I've loved being able to be a part of what God is doing in the world. Of course, the skeptic might ask, "Does all that prayer work?"
I think the question is important, especially in a results-oriented, pragmatic culture. People want to know if prayer achieves its goals. The answer, is yes and maybe. Yes, it achieves its end in that prayer connects us with God and vocalizes our dependency on Him to provide what we cannot provide on our own. Jesus instructed us to ask God for our daily needs and that God always provides those provisions. So when we pray we are doing what He asked us to so that our faithful dependence on Him increases.
On the other hand, the exact results of praying for someone may be immediate and it may never be known. I cannot say if my prayers for someone's sobriety, marriage, housing or financial relief actually happen and for some this is troubling. I think that prayer is less pragmatism and more an exercise of dependence on God who knows what we need. So when I pray, even half-hearted or fully expectant, I am entrusting my situation to God who knows best how to help me.
Does Prayer Work?
Every other week, Harvest has placed a Facebook Ad that invites people to share their prayer requests through FB Messenger. I've had the honor of praying for close to 50 people over the past few months and I've loved being able to be a part of what God is doing in the world. Of course, the skeptic might ask, "Does all that prayer work?"
I think the question is important, especially in a results-oriented, pragmatic culture. People want to know if prayer achieves its goals. The answer, is yes and maybe. Yes, it achieves its end in that prayer connects us with God and vocalizes our dependency on Him to provide what we cannot provide on our own. Jesus instructed us to ask God for our daily needs and that God always provides those provisions. So when we pray we are doing what He asked us to so that our faithful dependence on Him increases.
On the other hand, the exact results of praying for someone may be immediate and it may never be known. I cannot say if my prayers for someone's sobriety, marriage, housing or financial relief actually happen and for some this is troubling. I think that prayer is less pragmatism and more an exercise of dependence on God who knows what we need. So when I pray, even half-hearted or fully expectant, I am entrusting my situation to God who knows best how to help me.
How can we pray for you today?