Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    I have always approached prayer as my needing to perceive more clearly
    my relationship with God.  When there is a need in my life that hasn't
    yet been met, the prayer is to open my thought to see the good that is
    present to meet that need.  Far more than asking or demanding for a
    particular thing to happen (like that date on Friday night), I need to
    bring my perception to a different level, to see all the ways that love
    and friendship are currently expressed to me.  Prayer is far more a
    listening activity than a "talking" activity.  It is clearing away from
    the forefront of my thought the storm and raging fire and earthquake of
    daily living, so that I can hear the "still small voice" directing me.
    
    Alison 

| First of all, I have a very rich and rewarding prayer life.  I find that
| when I am down, I can talk to God and he will pull me up.  And when I
| am arrogant, he points that out.  It seems to me that my prayer takes
| the form of a two-way conversation --- and God never lets me gloss over
| what is important.  He is my best friend.  

	That is so true. IF I just do what He says, things seem to work out
fine. Tuesday night after softball practice I was coming home. there is a
Baptist Church right across the street from where I live. When they are there,
they tend to park in any of the available resident parking spaces (which you
need a sticker for). This makes it hard for us to find parking until they
leave. I was driving everywhere looking for parking. Then I asked God if He
could help me find somewhere to park, and the answer was instant. A voice
inside me said to pull down this one street. I was going to circle one more 
time, as I wanted to park closer. Then the voice said no, turn now. So, I 
did. There was this one parking space left. The guy who was behind me also
wanted it and if I didn't turn, he would have had it. He was there for me and I
was happy. It's always great when someone helps you out, but especially when He
helps you out. He didn't have to, but he chose to do so. That's a real friend!

| HOWEVER, I feel strongly that prayer is misused by many well-meaning
| Christians.  I would not raise this point if I did not think it led
| to a wrong-type of thinking.  Some people seem to look at prayer as
| an attempt to get God to do something you want.  I personally do not
| believe that God intercedes in our day-to-day life down here.  If God
| did, he/she would be messing with our own free will. But, even
| if he/she does, the idea that God is going to alter his plan just
| because someone asks him to is horribly self-righteous.  

	I guess this part of the article I would agree/disagree with. I agree
that a lot of people want things and ask for it. With this I see nothing wrong,
as long as they know that if they are asking, it doesn't automatically mean
that they will get it. Usually when I ask God for something, it's said in a
way, "if you see fit", "if you think it's right", things like that. When I
moved to Boston, I asked God to help me find a place that would be best for me
(ie safe, good roomates, nice area). And he did. I will always ask, not just 
for myself, but I will ask. If it's the Lords will for this to happen, then it 
will. If He doesn't want something to happen, there is a reason for it. I may
not know the reason, but He does. Oh, I have to do my part, I just can't sit 
back and be lazy about it, I have to make an attempt to go out and take the
bull by the horn, but the final word comes from Him. 

| 1.  Their relationship with God becomes very self-centered, i.e. "God,
| what can you do for me?", rather than directed at spiritual growth.
| How would your friends react to you if your conversation with them was
| dominated by requests?

	I can see where the relationship could become self centered. It is sad
that it would ever come to this. The take take theory. I guess that's why when
I ask, I always say if you feel it's right, etc. In my daily prayers, I ask the
Lord to use me. And he does. It also helps me to be closer to Him as whenever I
do help someone, He's right there reminding me that He's using me. Not only
that, if I chose not to do something for someone, He is there reminding me of
that as well. Which tends to get me to help out. This I attribute to being made 
aware of what's going on. I, anyway, tend to just go through life doing things,
but they become routine, and you loose the actual meanings behind what you do.
This way the Lord is just reminding just what it is and just why I'm doing it.
It usually is followed by a smile on my part. Do others do this?

| 2. When the prayed-for event does not occur, people blame God, or, even
| worse, may blame themselves for not being spiritual enough.  This is
| particularly bad if the event is something that the individual does have
| control over (e.g. getting a date Friday night).  

	I have seen this occur. I have a friend who has a chemical imbalance in
his brain, which causes some weird mood swings. He's always praying to get
cured. Everytime he goes back to the hospital he asks the same questions. Why
won't God heal me? Hopefully things will get better for him, but it's tough to
explain things to him right now until they drop the medication down a few
notches.

| 3. People begin to believe that God plays favorites.  One thing that
| concerns me about the attitude of many Christians is that they seem to
| believe that they belong to a select, special club that can get God's
| "Ear" when they need to.  This club even has passwords that all the
| faithful know, like "Are you SAVED??!"  "Have YOU accepted Jesus Christ
| as your Lord and Savior???!"  By saying "YES", you magically become a
| member of this special club.  

	I think I can really relate to this one! :-)

| One caveat, however.  The phrase, "I will pray for you" is objectionable
| to many people (partially because it can imply that you have a direct
| link that is not available to them, or they may not even believe in
| God).  I would ask that you remember Paul's admonishment not to eat
| sacrificed meat (as a means of recognizing the recipient's needs).
| Sometimes a statement like, "I care.  What can I do to help" can be
| just as (if not more) effective for such people.

	I never thought of that before. Now that I think of it, it is really
true. I like this topic! :-) How do others feel?


Glen

    The cover story of the January 6 issue of Newsweek magazine is devoted
    to the subject of prayer.  I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but
    it looks like it might be interesting.
    
    -- Mike