Prayer

Dear Friends,
I've been preaching about prayer lately and I have to admit I feel a bit ambivalent about it. There are some real dangers in just assuming prayer is simple and good. One problem is placing the authority of God behind a decision or choice one makes. Ministers are often caught in a cunundrum when a deacon or elder comes to a meeting and announces, "The Lord told me...". Such statements tend to conclude with things like, "we need to buy that property out on the highway." Okay. Well, did God tell you how we should pay for it? The only answer to such pragmatic questions is then, "Trust Him. It'll all work out." Then we get regaled with stories of the elder's uncle whose church made a similar decision to Trust God and how well everything worked out. Again, that is great, but the problem is such things are conversation stoppers. Nobody can raise real questions without exposing her/his lack of faith.

Another potential problem with prayer is the way it can set us up to see God as fickle. We hear stories of how Aunt Maude prayed for her son and his cancer disappeared over night and we wonder why our miracle has not come.

Prayer can set people up to see God as a doting uncle with deep pockets who just waits for you to ask so he can reward you with whatever your heart desires.

The problem with all of these scenerios is, Who would worship such a God? God tells people to take financial risks with the church's money that they would never take with their own. God heals some and leaves others to absolute pain and despair. God is like a slot machine in Vegas, taking in prayers like quarters and every so often answering one with a jackpot. Such a god is theologically disgusting.

But there is something profoundly healing in prayer. Community is built on common prayer. Peace does come in response to the unburdening of confession. Hope does come through prayers offered in hospital waiting rooms. Salvation waits for those who would humble themselves in prayer and ask with open hearts. Who can deny such things?

And so I counsel my congregation to pray while I struggle with it myself. Such is the life of a pastor.
Imagine all things good,
Mary