Welcome to this last of the four short sessions exploring prayer. So we can pray wherever whenever; we can imagine even re-imagine scenes within Bible passages or contexts in our life but invite Jesus to be a part of them, and dialogue with our God; we can look back and weigh the day, using an Examen; and today we look at a question that many of us may have asked why doesn’t God answer all of our prayers?
We could have called this session : God on Mute, so it might be more applicable to Zoom meetings. You might imagine the Last Supper, rather than all of the disciples being around that long table, all on one side – you’ve seen the photo, they are on Zoom – as above. And we arrive when where Jesus is explained all that is going to happen over the next few days and then sees the disciples waving frantically, he checks the chat facility to find that he is on mute. Why does God do this?
Is God on Mute?
Perhaps it isn’t God on mute but the issue lie with us? So my first thought is the Bible is full of healings. So why do we need doctors, nurses and dentists?
We might become focussed by those healings of the man with a disfigured hand, the man who has been blind for decades, the paralytic who is lowered in the house from above. I wonder if those healings are the restoration of that person, cast out of society due to illness, alienated by their perceived disability, and now restored by being able to be part of that society again. The women who was healed, after 12 years, but now was able to live, be part of the worship. Nevertheless, our prayers may be focussed upon the healing, medical healing.
What’s our response?
Can I ask how we might respond to someone who has a terminal diagnosis, or as I had recently someone who has had multiple mental breakdowns and fears another one is imminent? Do we pray for a complete healing, or a solution to be found to bring peace, to live life?
Is that call for healing part of our desire, our heartfelt desire, part of our conversation with God, rather than a dogmatic petition?
Dangerous but unless we bring these to the fore they can become buried. What are your thoughts?
Bible verses
There are a few verses which can be quoted which seem to offer us hope in tragic circumstances. For example, God will not give us more than we can bear. But when this was written, by Paul, to those in Corinth and in the context of that verse, the matter wasn’t about our situation but the sexual purity of a generation. Our verses in the Bible need context. Those verses tell a story of how God has been perceived then, but we have a living story of how God is working within us now. That is the wonder of prayer.
Choice A or Choice B?
In the recent election, or if we have an Indy Ref, rhetorically, how might you vote? Do we ask God to ensure that our vote really counts? Know what I mean, we win! Recently one person was asked whether England would beat Italy in some football competition, can’t remember which. They assured the reporter that there were Christians in Italy as well as in England – we can but hope for Christians in Scotland as well 😉 – but concluded that he hoped God would favour England that day. I am sure the Italian Christians felt likewise!
Have you been on a journey and need a car parking space at your destination. That car park in Tesco’s – other shops also exist – is so large, I need a space near to the front entrance. Is this a request or part of our conversation with God? We might find that we take a new perspective from now on.
In the past, we may have heard more of the prosperity Gospel, that, as Christians we need not be poor but can be prosperous – i.e. richer.
These all seem to be binary decisions: one way or the other. Is it choice A or choice B? Which do I favour? Even what might benefit me more?
Are we praying for rain currently? May be those in the North West of the United States would agree, but would those in the Rhine valley or in provinces in China be praying the same? Yes, as part of our conversation with God, but what else may be in that conversation as well?
Why might there be unanswered prayers? Some of the situations above are possibly very much focussed upon us, whereas others are more about society. Perhaps God is seeking us to be a community in action?
Is prayer more about connections, community?
So with apologies if you find one particular word disconcerting but given the background and with whom she works with predominately I hope you’ll forgive her. This is a Lutheran minister over in the States who is speaking about prayer. I’d love to know your thoughts about what she says.
So an opportunity to feedback about your thoughts of what has been raised this session, or over the whole 4 sessions. This prayer thing isn’t something which is done in bits but flows seamlessly. Why not comment below.
Let’s pray:
Loving God, can we imagine strands of prayers linking us to you, and from you to others, friends but also those oooh we may not get along with? Might we see your kin_dom woven as one, your love entwining us together as we seek that all those around us are shown your love, and know of your love.
And the blessing of God, our Father and our Mother, and of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit, be with us all and all whom we love and pray for, this day and in the days ahead. Amen.
The video of the session is here:
Title Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash