Power of Prayer?

There are some phrases that are in common use today that (in the judgment of charity) don't really say what the speaker means. "The power of prayer" is one. The speaker usually describes a difficult, or nearly impossible, situation faced by the person or someone he (or she) knows. Sometimes, in desperation, the person turns to the Lord and prays. God hears the prayer, miraculously making everything alright again. Then the speaker reminds the hearers they should pray at all times because "there is power in prayer." Now I concede that in most (if not all) cases the speaker is trying to encourage us to pray, reassuring us that God heeds prayer and often will grant what we ask.

I remember a poem to that effect:
"Call and the Lord will answer; Even before you cry,
He will have made provision; help will be drawing nigh.
Mighty things he will show you; wonders unasked unsought,
Above, beyond and exceeding; all that you asked or thought."

Notice the difference? There is no doubt in the poem that the Lord is the one who answers the prayer. That is his will to do good to us and not the prayer which is the power which brings about our help in time of trouble. He wants us to pray and encourages us to pray. Often for our benefit to help us learn to trust his goodwill toward us. And often he answers in a way we didn't even dare to imagine he would.

Consider Abraham's dilemma: God told him he was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because the stench of their wickedness had reached all the way to heaven. Abraham's nephew Lot was living in Sodom and, thus, in immediate danger. Abraham turns to the Lord and asks if it is right to destroy the innocent with the wicked as a reason to stop the destruction. God grants the principle so Abraham slowly whittles down the number of righteous that might be destroyed if God goes ahead with his plan, until he reaches a number he hopes will be found in such a wicked city. But, in spite of this he was really only concerned about Lot and his family.

God informs him that, should he find as many as the number Abraham had given, he will not destroy the cities. In the event that number were not present and the cities were destroyed. But Lot and his family (well, except for his wife who would not obey instructions) were saved. God answered what Abraham feared to ask. And this is the real reason for being upset with the phrase "power of prayer." It implies that the result is assured - just what we ask for will be provided. Just pray and it will be ok. The prayer is what does the trick, it has little or nothing to do with God's graciousness. Again let me assure you I don't believe this is what the speaker above means to say but that's what the words imply.

Now, the fact is God never guarantees to grant everything we pray about - he does have the right to refuse our prayers should he wish it. Even the Lord Jesus said, when he asked that a way might be found to avoid the pain and suffering to come (as he faced the cross): "nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." If God could refuse to grant the prayer of his own beloved son, why should we imagine he will always grant everything we ask - merely because we ask? The phrase, however, implies it is our praying that causes the thing to happen.

Which leads to the second thing wrong with the phrase. It is insulting to God! He graciously condescends to hear our prayer (in spite of the truth that we do not pray as we ought). He grants it in a way that demonstrates his glorious divinity and power and then, when telling others about it, we say: "there's power in prayer." Not even "God's power is in prayer" or "God is the power behind prayer."

Perhaps it is time we determined to make sure that (in future) we will be more careful to ensure we put the power where it belongs. If we wish to encourage people to pray, by all means say just that: "People, God wants us to ask him to supply all our needs." Then, avoiding the commonly used slogan above, remind them that God answers prayer, often wonderfully. As the poem says - above, beyond and exceeding all that we asked or sought.