Day of Prayer for Oil Gush?

[Alcott]

State Senators of Louisiana unanimously voted to ask citizens to pray for God's help in dealing with the gulf oil disaster. 2 issues with this:

1) Should a government body assume it has the authority to ask citizens to pray?

2) Does this put prayer up to public ridicule? Is God going to miraculously cap the well and/or make the escaped oil disappear? If not, what should bystanders think about the value of prayer? If it is taken to mean "let's pray then go to work," help with the cleanup, donate, put pressure on the company, et al, that should exhort no one other than those who have or would pray without such direction.

Meanwhile, if God does not stop natural disasters, what makes anyone think he will stop a man-made one?

 

[targus]

1) Should a government body assume it has the authority to ask citizens to pray?

No authority is required of anyone to "ask" for anything.

Asking is not ordering or commanding - it is merely asking.

2) Does this put prayer up to public ridicule? Is God going to miraculously cap the well and/or make the escaped oil disappear? If not, what should bystanders think about the value of prayer? If it is taken to mean "let's pray then go to work," help with the cleanup, donate, put pressure on the company, et al, that should exhort no one other than those who have or would pray without such direction.

Meanwhile, if God does not stop natural disasters, what makes anyone think he will stop a man-made one?

I don't think that anyone would expect God's answer to prayers to necessarily include a miraculous capping of the well or for the oil to disappear.

IMO a rational person would understand that God's intervention could also include the other mentioned possibilties.

 

[FR7 Baptist]

1) Should a government body assume it has the authority to ask citizens to pray?

They asked, not ordered so I don't see what the issue is.

2) Does this put prayer up to public ridicule? Is God going to miraculously cap the well and/or make the escaped oil disappear? If not, what should bystanders think about the value of prayer? If it is taken to mean "let's pray then go to work," help with the cleanup, donate, put pressure on the company, et al, that should exhort no one other than those who have or would pray without such direction.

Some people will ridicule prayer anyway, so I don't see that as a problem.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

State Senators of Louisiana unanimously voted to ask citizens to pray for God's help in dealing with the gulf oil disaster.

Being born and raised in L.A., I've been praying about it every day.

1) Should a government body assume it has the authority to ask citizens to pray?

Ever read a history book? There was a time when our country believed in prayer and we prayed anytime there was a catastrophe or we needed guidance.

2) Does this put prayer up to public ridicule?

Prayer has always been ridiculed. Prayer will always be ridiculed. If we stopped doing everything God commanded us to do because it might invite ridicule, then what would we do?

Is God going to miraculously cap the well and/or make the escaped oil disappear?

Maybe. Maybe not. God does as He pleases and, so far, He hasn't seen the need to ask my opinion.

If not, what should bystanders think about the value of prayer?

Who cares? I don't know about anybody else, but I pray to seek God's face, not to satisfy the world.

Meanwhile, if God does not stop natural disasters, what makes anyone think he will stop a man-made one?

Prayer isn't about God doing our will, but our doing God's will.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

State Senators of Louisiana unanimously voted to ask citizens to pray for God's help in dealing with the gulf oil disaster. 2 issues with this:

1) Should a government body assume it has the authority to ask citizens to pray?

2) Does this put prayer up to public ridicule? Is God going to miraculously cap the well and/or make the escaped oil disappear? If not, what should bystanders think about the value of prayer? If it is taken to mean "let's pray then go to work," help with the cleanup, donate, put pressure on the company, et al, that should exhort no one other than those who have or would pray without such direction.

Meanwhile, if God does not stop natural disasters, what makes anyone think he will stop a man-made one?

I think it is honorable and good for the state to do this. But this is for the people of THAT state to decide. And the feds should keep the nose out of the state's business.

 

[billwald]

When Art Bell was hosting Coast To Coast three times I heard him ask his listeners to pray for rain because of drought and wild fires. Three times it rained the next day. He quit doing this because the last trial produced flood damage and he became fearful of unintended consequences. (Do "Christian" prayers have a better track record?)

 

[Dr. Bob]

God heals at His will, but the Word reminds us that if "MY" people - not the unbelieving or government or anyone else - pray, He will hear and heal.

We sometimes miss that this is a personal promise to believers, not for us to demand our President or Corporations or Congress pray. It is for US.