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Saturday, March 24, 2007

Prayers, plans, predestination

After quoting, "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book," (Psalm 139:16) in context of something Rick Warren had written, a person posting on the Baptist Board questioned the compatability of prayer and God having a "plan" for everyone's life: "Now let's imagine that you say a prayer in this sort of universe. What difference does it make? God has his plan, and that plan is running down its track like a freight train...The idea of a 'plan' makes the idea of a 'prayer-answering relationship with God' ridiculous."

I thought Larry, a pastor in Michigan, gave a good answer: "The truth is that God has planned all the days of our lives. He declares it to be so and therefore it is. He also answers prayer. Think about it. If he has declared all the days of your life, he has therefore declared the prayers and the answers to them." [13 March 2007, the Baptist Board]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess my question would be thus: Does God predestine/ordain ALL things for His children, or only those things which he specifically cares about ?? If the latter, can prayer not draw his attention to those things of specific interest to us, but not necessarily of specific interest to Him ??

Pete

R. L. Vaughn said...

Pete, don't lead us out into too deep water. I'm not ready to drown! ;-) I think I understand where you're coming from. Or maybe not. For example, I have a personal concept of some things I find it hard to think of as God being too concerned about -- like who will win the NCAA basketball tournament next Monday or the Super Bowl next year. But we can get mixed up trying to understand the mind of God.

As far as prayer is concerned, I feel safe to fall back on these concepts:

We could never think or ask anything that is beyond God's knowledge and power.

Ephesians 3:20 - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us

Though we know not what to pray or how, the Spirit makes up the difference, intereceding for us and interpreting our poor prayers.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Robert. You are talking to a man who can't find a spot deep enough in the Arkansas for a suitable immersion. Perhaps when the high country melt sets in seriously we'll be able to find a suitable pool close to the bank that doesn't require technical climbing skills to get in and out of it.

Pete