Blasphemy!? Of course. But does the thought lurk at the back of one’s mind? …especially in those times, cases when it really isn’t something that we can ‘fix’. Or, in the big issues in the world that seem to be beyond our ability to have any direct influence. It would be my contention that we humans like (need?) to fix what appears to be broken. So, when we can’t then it must be God’s – yes? This is the major argument by those who really don’t have a relationship with the living God and end up blaming Him for wars, diseases, acts of violence, misunderstandings…
In the Christian world – do we do this as well and with the same mindset? I think we do. Simply because you believe what you are praying for is a ‘good’ or good for the other person, they don’t always concur. Never forget that if you are praying for someone, that sometimes the issue is the other person’s free will. I suspect that this is one of the reasons that when I am praying for another brother/sister in the Lord, I prefer the other person to begin the prayer so that I can understand what I am adding my voice to. Otherwise you may be praying at odds from what the other person wants. We should never simply ‘assume’ we are all on the same page or what we pray for the other person is in line with their needs or wants.
The other reason I prefer the other person begin the prayer is so we can be in agreement in fact and not in supposed commonality. Splitting hairs? No. I don’t believe so. We all apply our understandings, definitions, and experiences to everything we do – including the spiritual as well as the ‘natural’. However, we rarely define but operate on presupposed agreement. Especially in prayer I think it is critical that we do follow a known model for agreement:
“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything
they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For
where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among
them.” (Matthew 18:19-20 – Jesus speaking)
In my thinking, this is a simple pattern to follow in order for everyone to ‘know’ and not assume agreement. Are we defining the words in the same way – ask. Have we invited the Lord into the prayer – ask. Praying should never be based on assumptions. Finally, if whatever we agree with in prayer – never assume that if it doesn’t manifest immediately that we have prayed amiss. Timing is also a condition in results – and timing is not of our choosing.
