Testify to the Truth #14 - Does Prayer “Work”?
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August 22
“pray constantly,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 CSB17)
As We Gather
As common and basic as prayer is in Christian life and theology, there is a lot of mystery around it. God is not a vending machine that if we punch the right buttons, we get what we want. And yet, God tells us that He hears and answers all our prayers. And because God is God and He knows better than we do, sometimes, He answers our prayers with a "no." When that happens, it's hard for us to trust and understand how God works. Yet prayer is an invitation into a deeper relationship with Him. It's an opportunity not only to bring your requests to Him, but to continue an ongoing conversation with Him that draws you closer to Him. So, regardless of whether you get what you want out of God in prayer, you get what you need: a stronger connection with the Truth.
Prayer
Almighty God, since You have granted us the favor to call on You with one accord and have promised that where two or three are gathered together in Your name You are in the midst of them, fulfill now the prayers of Your servants, granting us in this world knowledge of Your truth and in the world to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Journal