By The Qoheleth
Some people raised issues in my previous post where I stated that we may not need God’s assistance in what he had already granted to us. God gave man freedom and power to use what he created to develop himself and the world. He gave us life, nature, and the world to inherit and benefit from. We may not, therefore, need to pray for what we can get.
In some cases, it takes the form of praise; in another case, it takes the form of request and at other times, it comes as appreciation. One thing yet to be established is when prayers are answered as requested. This is because many acts take place whether prayers are said over them or not. For instance, people die, whether prayers are said or not. People become rich and poor whether prayers are said or not. People are born whether prayers are said or not.
In most instances, prayer makes God look human and hears, considers, and answers or rejects requests. It makes God be changeable and still dynamic. But is this the nature of God? God has provided everything human beings need in life. He has also given man the power to find solutions to any challenge; physical or spiritual.
God is not continually working everyday as man does. That’s why he is said to be unchangeable. He has put everything in place for man to discover and utilize. He wants all to love one another irrespective of tribe, religion, race and people. We must unite together in the effort to bring his kingdom on earth. What this means is to know God as he really is. At this time everything would be perfect. We should therefore stop praying to God to do what we can do ourselves. It is just a waste of time.
God is not partial. Don’t thank him for preventing you from dying in an accident where others died. The dead are also his children. Accident is totally human and you didn’t survive because God loves you more. Don’t ask him to help you to pass examinations. If you read, you’d pass. Failure of examination is not failure in life. Do not pray that God should keep you alive. He has already done that. It is your duty to sustain your life. All must die. Nobody has control of death. Prepare yourself for death for it must come.
At the fulfillment of time, there may not be death again. But for now, death is certain. Do not pray for visa to travel or for your container to be released. These are totally human processes. Don’t pray for male or female children. This is within human power granted to both believers and unbelievers. Bearing children is totally human. To be rich and successful are totally human. God does not choose those who will be rich and those to be poor. All have equal opportunities in life. The situation you are today is just by accident. There are circumstances that make one rich, poor, intelligent, black, white, speaks certain languages and live in a particular place. They are all by accident of nature but within the process of evolution desired by God.
So, use prayer to spiritually engage with God to enable you tap powers, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. That’s why King Solomon’s prayer was regarded as special. God is light, full of wisdom, love and peace. If we are connected with God in prayer, we will receive these abstract gifts from God. When we pray, there will be total transformation from our natural self into the spiritual nature of God. This will enable us perform extraordinary acts because of the power acquired from such spiritual engagement.
