God hears our prayers and...
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God hears our prayers and answers in one of three ways: "yes," "no," or "not yet." But if we do not get what we desire, we are tempted to say God did not answer our prayer.
The Scriptures are filled with unanswered prayers: "O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; and by night, but find no rest." (Psalm 22:2) Moses prayed to enter the Promised Land, but died on Mt. Nebo, his request refused. In Lamentations we hear, "thou hast wrapped thyself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through." (3:44) Habakkuk cries, "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear?" (1:2, today's first lesson) Think of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" or Jesus' anguish in the Garden, praying for release from the cup of suffering ahead of him.
I read an interesting article in The Atheist magazine offering to pay $1,000 to anyone who can move ten pounds of dirt twenty feet solely by the power of prayer. "Tell your preacher about this," the article concludes. "Watch him squirm and make excuses."
The Scriptures are filled with unanswered prayers: "O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; and by night, but find no rest." (Psalm 22:2) Moses prayed to enter the Promised Land, but died on Mt. Nebo, his request refused. In Lamentations we hear, "thou hast wrapped thyself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through." (3:44) Habakkuk cries, "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear?" (1:2, today's first lesson) Think of Paul's "thorn in the flesh" or Jesus' anguish in the Garden, praying for release from the cup of suffering ahead of him.
I read an interesting article in The Atheist magazine offering to pay $1,000 to anyone who can move ten pounds of dirt twenty feet solely by the power of prayer. "Tell your preacher about this," the article concludes. "Watch him squirm and make excuses."
