Sermon for October 19, 2008: “How Prayer Works”
Scripture Lessons: Genesis 32:22-30; Exodus 32:11-14; Isaiah 1:18; James 5:16
This week we looked at what happens when we pray. The sermon, which is a development on the theme introduced last Sunday, began with the assertion that the future is open, undetermined, and unknown… even to God! God invites us to join in a conversation with God about what the future may look like. That conversation, which takes place in the spirit, is what we call prayer. In this conversation, as in any conversation, both parties offer their views and ideas, and listen to those of the other. The outcome of the conversation is not predetermined, but is decided by the conversation! The result of that conversation is what we (God and us) envision the future to be, and what we, together, commit to work toward. God “answers” our prayers by adopting an intention toward the future that is the outcome of the human/divine conversation, argument or debate - our reasoning together (Isaiah 1:18a).
Process theology teaches us that God works with the world as it is in order to bring it to where it can be. Our prayers change what the world is right now by making, if only a little, more compassionate, loving and hopeful, and less indifferent, callous and cruel. Our prayers give God more to work with, so to speak, and thereby have effective power (James 5:16b). They make it possible for God to make the world better. Our prayers open new possibilities for healing, wholeness and peace.
October 19th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Nice sermon! When you talked about how most prayers are about the future, I was thinking about prayers of thanks and how they would mostly be about the past and present.
October 21st, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Thanks Kristel. Of course you are correct about prayers of thanks being about the past and present. We are thankful for what God has done or is doing right now. I guess I was thinking primarily about prayers of intercession or petition. I should have made that more explicit.
As I think about it, I wonder if even our prayers of thanks and praise can make for a better future and give God more to work with since they necessarily make us more aware of our blessedness and give us a more positive, hopeful and trusting orientation, thus changing the world as it is and making a better world possible.
I think of Jesus comment on faith in Matthew 25:29, “to the one that has, more will be given.” I think gratitude and praise open us to even greater blessing.
And then there is this: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) It would seem that in some way it is appropriate to give thanks for blessings that we trust will be bestowed.
Your comment opens up several new possibilities in thinking about prayer. Thanks!