When we pray, do we honestly believe that God is there, beside us, listening to our prayers? Whether we pray to ask, or demand, favours for us or others, or whether we pray to thank God for what He has done for us, do we honestly believe and visualise Him listening to us. Because if we don't then we're either dishonest in our prayers, and we say them just as a routine superstition, or we're deranged and just talking to ourselves.
Unless we truly believe that God is there, listening to our every prayer, then we might as well pray to the universe, the trees, the planet or whatever other concept we believe in just to make us feel better.
Prayer is, and should be, the ultimate act of faith. It says that we believe there is an omnipotent, all-knowing and loving living God Who listens to our needs and responds accordingly in His time and in His way.
There are those who would say that if God is all-knowing and loving, then He knows about poverty throughout the world, He knows about wars, diseases and earthquakes and other disasters. Why should I be praying for these things? Surely He could, or should, be sorting them out without my prayers.
Let us remember that Jesus, the Son of God, prayed too. Before His arrest and crucifixion He prayed that it would all go away. God did listen to Him, yet He did not make it all go away. God, and Jesus, knew the bigger picture. Jesus had to die and be raised again so that God would be glorified and we would have a way back to God through redemption. Jesus accepted that, which is why He prayed "not my will but yours".
It is the same for us when we pray. God is listening. He is seeing the bigger picture for us, for our well-being and that of others we pray for. And He will respond positively in His time and in His way.
Unless we believe that, then we should stop praying and cease our hypocrisy or misguided superstitions.
...a wonderful story of the little boy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tom.
DeleteGod bless.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteYes, a beautiful and in–depth post.
Prayer is the #one connection to God and he surely DOES exist!
Both of us have felt his presence so many times and he has granted us so much.
So, till our last breath we will continue doing just that!
I know for sure that my Mom has prayed a lot, during her life and especially during her suffering.
God did grant her to remain with her loved ones till she almost was 91—and that in her condition!
Hugs,
Mariette
Thank you Mariette for this lovely comment about your beliefs and your experiences in life. If only more people felt this way about the presence of God, and communicating with Him.
DeletePrayer is "being" with God. If it is not that then it is nothing.
God bless you and Pieter.
Most people are afraid from not being 'popular'... But we'd rather stand alone but with God than with others and against God ✝️
DeleteBrilliant!
DeleteGod bless.
💞
DeleteAgain my friend, you hit home. I used to kid my friends who were Catholic, about 'saying a prayer' when many times that is what I was doing. Then again LIFE wakes you up some times, and maybe someone will remind me what prayer is. My daddy was very concerned, He liked to refer his time as talking to God and listening for an answer.......
ReplyDeleteLove from this side, Maybe one day I will try to make it over for dinner to see if I can get back home. Sherry & jack smiling... over here.
That's true, Jack. Prayer is talking to God, and listening to His answer; even though at times He does not answer right away. Some Catholics like to repeat over and over again the same prayers, like the Rosary. I can understand that, but I feel that in repetitive prayers one's mind can wonder and all you end up doing is repeating words like a parrot.
DeleteMy friend, Father Francis Maple, seems to agree. He has just published a book entitled "Pray the Rosary without Distractions".
https://www.amazon.com/Rosary-without-Distractions-Francis-Maple-ebook/dp/B0BHTWN983/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MC0O8C8QF2YD&keywords=pray+the+rosary+without+distractions&qid=1665492352&s=books&sprefix=pray+the+rosary+without+distractions%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C135&sr=1-1
I realise many people don't pray the Rosary, (I don't that often I must confess) but the thoughts behind each prayer in the book may be helpful to someone somewhere regardless of denominations.
It would be such fun if we could meet, Jack, over one of those magic machines on Star Trek where one is transported quickly - beam me up Scotty. (It's what I usually say after having haggis. Have you ever had haggis?
God bless, Jack and Sherry.
I remember looking this up, haggis that is. It is illegal in the USA since 1971. BUT I would definitely try it just to sit and talk. Love my friend.....
DeleteOh, I love that visual of the 7 y/o child pulling out a chair for his visitor!
ReplyDeleteNot until I nearly hit rock bottom did I understand the power of prayer. Now it's my favorite part of the day -- several times a day, that is. Without a doubt, He's my best friend.
That child. more so than many people, understood the reality that when we pray God is there, in person, listening to us on an individual basis.
DeleteMany people seem to pray in a "vacuum" repeating prayers mechanically and not fully conscious that they are in a one-to-one communication with God Almighty.
God bless, Mevely.
I will keep the visual of the boy pulling out a chair for God with me.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathy. See my response to Mevely above.
DeleteGod bless.
I believe and I 'talk' to God all day long. :)
ReplyDeleteAmen Happyone.
DeleteGod b less.
Remember how G-d put Adam in the garden to tend it? Do we really think He needed Adam's work and help? No. He decided, though, to do things through the people he created. That's still true.
ReplyDeleteCould He just take away our free will and do it all Himself? Sure, if He worked that way, but He doesn't. He wants us to pray, and He wants to use our prayers and the work He sets before us to work the changes the world needs.
He could just do it all, but how would that develop our relationship with Him as children? It wouldn't.
Excellent topic, as always.
Thank you for a well-thought-out comment, Mimi. Yes, you are right. God does use people to further His works.
DeleteGod bless.