< Praying
Out of context: Reply #33
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- discipler0
*Walks into view in brigadier outfit, "What's all this then!?"
Ah, prayer research. You've got to love these "studies". See, the problem is with the variables that are not being considered. The proper questions are not being asked:
- Who is the object of prayer and is the Biblical precedent of being in a relationship with Christ in order to have God acknowledge prayers, being considered?
- Can the results from intercessory prayer, however, be reduced to a simple cause and affect relationship that we can touch and feel, so to speak, immediately?
- Do we assume that God will answer any and every intercessory prayer request?
- Can an eternal, omniscient, omnipotent God be manipulated to do our will?
- Will patients involved in intercessory prayer studies whose symptoms worsen or complications abound find themselves doubting God’s very existence, let alone God’s love and concern for them?
With the Biblical model at least, more was involved than personal petition or intercession by others; personal need for repentance often preceded or accompanied personal restoration of physical health (see Ps. 31; Mark 5:1–13). Moreover, in all biblical accounts of healing, there is the underlying truth that while various human factors are operant — for example, repentance and belief that God can and will heal — God alone is in control and answers specific prayers according to His good and perfect will. That good and perfect will may sometimes mean a “yes” in response to prayers for healing; God does heal today and many churches today are experiencing this reality with a renewed emphasis on the healing ministry of Jesus; but it may also mean a “no” or “wait.”
God is not a genie, and prayer is not magic. Much of today’s research, however, leaves us with that impression. The Bible indicates that answered prayer comes through an ongoing faith relationship with Jesus Christ.
More than anything else, prayer is a relationship of trust and dependency, not simply a means of getting what we want, when we want it. A closer relationship with God and a greater trust in His goodness are outcomes that result from personal petitionary prayers and the intercessions of others, regardless of whether immediate healing occurs. Numerous examples are given in Scripture (see Job; Ps. 40–43; 2 Cor. 12:7–10; Luke 22:42). Measuring these kinds of outcomes can be a fruitful avenue of research with respect to prayer.
Research on prayer needs to be conducted with an attitude of humility and with a clear understanding of our motivation and the purposes of research. To set out to prove or disprove that God answers prayer and then to conclude that prayer “works” on the basis of intervention studies alone is irresponsible and totally discounts the true nature of prayer, the nature of God, and the nature of the methodological problems that can occur and have occurred with this type of research.
Finally, it's important to consider that, from a Biblical perspective, we live in a fallen world that is subject to the ravages of sin and death. God can and does intervene and bring healing, but we are still subject to decay and we will all eventually die. Until this system of things is redeemed and restored, we will be subject to the effects of the fall.