friends till the end...
Recently, i listened in on a theological discussion about prayer. they discussed whether intercessory prayer was really necessary or prayer in general if God already knows how everything is going to happen.
We asked the question: Why do we pray? Is God really outside of time? Our are futures really set in stone? Does prayer work?
the group came to a conclusion that "we pray because we are commanded to pray." Jesus tells us to pray and teaches us how to pray. a relationship with God is dependent on us praying. If we have a friend we never talk to we would call that more of an acquaintance than a friend. To be God's friend it is important to talk to Him. prayer allows us to walk through this life with our friend, God, at our side.
that tells us why we pray, but what about God being outside of time and intercessory prayer?
and if God is outside of time than can we pray for the past and the future? When if it is more like God lives in eternity, but the future is now. So yes, He sees the past happening and the future... i'm confusing myself.
Remember, the story of Moses and the Israelites where he comes down from the Mountain and they have made themselves an idol. God becomes so angry He says He is going to destroy the Israelites and make a great nation from Moses. Moses pleads with the Lord though not to destroy the people and both the text in english as well as in Hebrew say that God changed His mind. Did God know He was going to change His mind? or Did He have a different future in mind?
Can God change His mind? In other texts it tells us that our God is unchanging. I liked how one lady in the discussion said that as we are walking with God and we grow in our relationship maybe He is willing to negotiate with us on somethings, but with other things He tells us that this is the way it has to be. I don't know if I agree with that, but I thought it was interesting. i also think it is interesting to think that maybe God doesn't have the future planned out on every point. Does that take away His control? If we have free will though can God really know exactly everything that we are going to do? Does that make Him less powerful? I don't think it does, but i know people who do.
I really am not going anywhere with this post. I just thought these were thought provoking questions on prayer. over the last couple of years I have learned not to be afraid of these questions. The more I ask and learn the bigger God gets and the less able I am to define Him, which is great! I will probably never have God all figured out, and I will know Him for an eternity. that's crazy!
We asked the question: Why do we pray? Is God really outside of time? Our are futures really set in stone? Does prayer work?
the group came to a conclusion that "we pray because we are commanded to pray." Jesus tells us to pray and teaches us how to pray. a relationship with God is dependent on us praying. If we have a friend we never talk to we would call that more of an acquaintance than a friend. To be God's friend it is important to talk to Him. prayer allows us to walk through this life with our friend, God, at our side.
that tells us why we pray, but what about God being outside of time and intercessory prayer?
and if God is outside of time than can we pray for the past and the future? When if it is more like God lives in eternity, but the future is now. So yes, He sees the past happening and the future... i'm confusing myself.
Remember, the story of Moses and the Israelites where he comes down from the Mountain and they have made themselves an idol. God becomes so angry He says He is going to destroy the Israelites and make a great nation from Moses. Moses pleads with the Lord though not to destroy the people and both the text in english as well as in Hebrew say that God changed His mind. Did God know He was going to change His mind? or Did He have a different future in mind?
Can God change His mind? In other texts it tells us that our God is unchanging. I liked how one lady in the discussion said that as we are walking with God and we grow in our relationship maybe He is willing to negotiate with us on somethings, but with other things He tells us that this is the way it has to be. I don't know if I agree with that, but I thought it was interesting. i also think it is interesting to think that maybe God doesn't have the future planned out on every point. Does that take away His control? If we have free will though can God really know exactly everything that we are going to do? Does that make Him less powerful? I don't think it does, but i know people who do.
I really am not going anywhere with this post. I just thought these were thought provoking questions on prayer. over the last couple of years I have learned not to be afraid of these questions. The more I ask and learn the bigger God gets and the less able I am to define Him, which is great! I will probably never have God all figured out, and I will know Him for an eternity. that's crazy!
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