many prayers = more attention from God????

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."  Matt 18:20

What does that verse really mean?  Especially in regards to prayers...

Is God more likely to answer prayers if lots of people are praying for the same thing?  It always makes me wonder about that.  Why would God watch over someone more carefully if lots of prayers were offered?  

Really, why do we pray?  It isn't for God's benefit.  If it's for *our* benefit, what benefit do we get?  One thanks God for meals, for good weather, for homes, safety, etc.  Does anything change if one does *not* pray?

Say someone has car trouble.  They get on the horn and ask all their friends to pray about it.  The car gets fixed.  Did it get fixed because lots of people prayed about it?

I have experienced *profound* answers to prayers by certain individuals when I was in crisis.  And I can think of one time when prayers for me were being asked by thousands around the world.  

But generally, I do not feel God's presence when perfunctory prayers for meals are given, or for other mundane aspects of everyday life.

[8thdaypriest]

Matthew 6:7 "And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

If I ask the LORD for the same thing, over and over, repeating my request - does that constitute repetition, or perseverance?

Daniel fasted and prayed for long periods of time.  The LORD responded to those prayers. 

What's the difference between me asking over and over, and many folks asking.  It still amounts to many requests for the same thing.   

I've had chronic migraines for many, many years.  I stopped asking the LORD for healing, some years ago.  I figured HE heard me, and since no healing has come, His "answer" was "No" or "Not now".   

I do believe that requests (prayers) by humans, give the LORD legal access to, or the legal right to, "interfere" in human events or circumstances, wherein Satan has "legal" standing or control.  The prayers SHIFT the balance of power. 

[CoAspen]

I don't believe 'quantity' gives anyone a 'better' chance. I believe prayer is misused. I also believe it is more about an individual being in contact with their 'God'. If God is over all and He gives preference to 'quantity', than mankind is lost. The Bible I read says He want no one to be lost. So why would He want one individual to suffer more than another based on the amount of prayer. Shift the balance of Gods power, I don't think so. God does not need 'permission' to work in the lives of His creation. In my opinion, the only time He need 'permission' is when His creation has constantly ignored the 'knocking'. If we are open to the presence of God He is always there.

[pierrepaul]

Prayer is one of the mysteries of our faith that I do not think we will ever fully understand (I certainly don't expect to understand it in this life).

I've always been skeptical of these "tsunami" prayers where the whole church is asked to pray for a specific matter at a specific time. Twenty years ago, our church was encouraged to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at 7:15 pm. If one couldn't pray at 7:15 pm, we were asked to wait until 8:15 pm and join the brethren one time zone to the west (or 9:15 pm and join those two time zones over). While there is certainly value in encouraging the members to pray more, and there is perhaps value in our individual lives to pray regularly, are prayers more effective if delivered en masse.

Certainly back in the day of gunpowder and linear battlefield tactics (essentially from the 16th century until rifled muskets and later machine guns rendered the tactics obsolete), a volley delivered at once by the entire line was far more effective than each soldier firing piecemeal, even though the total firepower is the same in both cases. In a rugby scrummage, success requires all eight men driving on cue rather than each pushing on his own, even though the total force delivered in both cases is the same.

But in prayer, is it really reasonable to expect a similar result?

I've also seen members organize prayer schedules to ensure that round-the-clock at least one person was always praying without interruption for a particular matter or result. Again there is a military analogy - if one is trying to pin an enemy unit so it cannot withdraw, and/or isolate it so it cannot be reinforced, continual lower intensity bombardment is more effective than shooting one's bolt in a single effort.

But again, with God are these tactics useful or effective?

Children learn early in life that relentless petitions are often acted upon, as the parents' resistance is worn down - but this is only the case where the parent does not initially wish to fulfill the child's desire. If the child is thirsty and asks for water, one request is usually enough. Would God be swayed by constant pestering? And if God's resistance has to be worn down - like the Israelites petition for meat in the desert, or their desire to have a king - isn't that a sign that we would we be better off if this particular prayer request were to be refused?

Maybe the value in these organized prayer chains has nothing to do with God's response, and is to build up the sense of community in the church. Praying with a brother is a far deeper bonding experience than discussing last night's hockey game. Committing to each other to drop whatever we are doing and to pray at a designated time can bring a group together. Maybe that's the purpose. I don't know.

Perhaps I lack imagination, or my faith is weak or I'm just too cynical in my age. Please pray for me (but preferably everyone together at 8:45 pm Eastern Standard Time)

[8thdaypriest]

Years ago now, back when I was a nurse anesthetist, I had a patient for eye surgery (corneal transplant and lens implant).  Patient was 72, and in ill health, with high blood pressure.  The surgeon ordered a general anesthetic, over our objections that her blood pressure was too libel to extremes.  Well, my chief and I went ahead and put her under general anesthesia.  I was giving a muscle paralyzing drug to keep her from moving, (along with enough drug to keep her "asleep") monitoring her unconsciousness with EEG, and her paralysis with a nerve stimulator.  Her blood pressure - as expected - fell very low, and then rebounded high.   Finally we got to a balanced BP.  Just as I was reaching for the syringe to give more paralyzing drug, she "bucked" (coughed on the endotrachael tube) just a little.  Her blood pressure shot up, and she ruptured a blood vessel in the choroid plexus.  The retina floated almost out the open pupil.  My chief and I went around to look through the microscope.  The retina was floating in blood.  "That's it for that eye," the surgeon said.  He finished stitching the corneal graft on, but said she would never see again, and he might have to remove the eye entirely. 

I was devastated!!!  I had NEVER had a patient sustain an injury under my care.  I couldn't eat.  I couldn't sleep.  I sat on my bed and rocked, and rocked.  This happened on a Friday. 

I went to my SDA church on Sabbath.  I asked the head elder to offer a prayer for my patient during church service.  He did.  The whole congregation prayed for my patient - by name.  Afterward, I learned that the next day, her congregation did the same, at her son's urging. 

That afternoon, I was still praying.  Suddenly, I heard a voice say, "I have healed her."  I looked around.  "Please say that again", I said out loud.  Once again, the "voice" said, "I have healed her." 

On Monday, I went to work.  At lunch time, I went into the "eye room" to give one of the CRNAs a lunch break.  It was dark in the room, but the surgeon heard me - the same surgeon from Friday's procedure.  "Is that you Rachel."  "Boy have I got news for you."  I stopped still.  "Mrs Poole's eye is OK, isn't it,"  I said excitedly.  The surgeon stopped, and looked around the microscope at me.  "And just how did you know this?" 

Everyone in the room was looking at me.  I hesitated for just a second.  "God told me," I answered. 

"That's what she said", he replied.  "She came to my office this morning.  She told me, 'Don't you worry.  God has healed me.'  I took off the bandage, covered her other eye, and held up 3 fingers.  'Three,' she said.  Rachel, there wasn't even any blood in the globe.  It was like it never happened!" 

He went on, "Rachel, I searched the data bases looking for something like this.  I even called my preceptor at the Mayo.  He told me, 'Give it up John. You're looking at a miracle.'   I've never believed in miracles, but I'm gonna have to rethink this." 

EVERYONE in the large anesthesia department heard about it, I think within one day.  The chief who was working with me in the case, was a devout Hindu.  He had recently read the copy of "More than a Carpenter" that I left in the anesthesia lounge.  I believe this miracle effected many, many people.  I had more than one person come to me asking that I pray for them.  I kept protesting that I wasn't anything special.  I didn't have any special power with God.  

When I get to the Kingdom someday, I want to know the ripples from that miracle. 

Did the LORD heal Mrs Poole because a large number of people prayed?   I doubt it.  But their knowing of the miracle was certainly a blessing. 

PS:  I still HAVE the copy I made of that anesthetic record.  We didn't have all the confidentiality laws back than. 

 

[phkrause]

Prayer is one of those mysteries in life that we will probably never understand until the Lord comes and gets us and we have time to sit and listen at his feet and learn. Like you say, it will be interesting on how some of those ripples turn out.