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Have you ever prayed and prayed and prayed only to fear that your words bounced off the ceiling falling far short of God’s throne room in Heaven? If so, you’re not alone. Many faithful men and women fear their prayers are ineffective.
And some fear that prayer might be a waste of time, altogether.
In a private conversation between author Philip Yancey and his friend Dr. Richard Mouw, a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, the teacher told the writer about a tourist who’d observed a devout Jewish man praying at the Western Wall, aka The Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem. The Jew rocked back and forth with closed eyes, beating his breast, sometimes even raising his hands. When he finished, the tourist boldly asked, “What are you praying about?”
The Jew offered, “I pray for righteousness. I pray for the health of my family. I pray for peace in the world, especially in Jerusalem.”
“Are your prayers effective?” the tourist asked.
“It’s like talking to a wall,” he replied.
Prayer should never be like talking to a wall. It should be like talking to a friend, a Friend who just so happened to create you and then give His life to rescue you. According to Scripture, this Friend is a Friend like no other; He hears every single one of our prayers, even if He doesn’t answer them as we expect or desire. There has never been a wasted prayer…so keep on praying.
Resource’s Origin:
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey. Zondervan, 2006, Page, 116.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Assurance
Confidence
Despair
Failure
Friends
Frustration
Jesus
Jews
Prayer
Request
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
