Problem of Prayer
Paniym, (paw-neem)
This word in the Hebrew means to beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear. It is the word for prayer.
Paniym is used to describe the "face of the sky, the water, and the earth" in Genesis during the days of Creation. In Genesis 3:8, paniym is used when Adam and Eve, in the Garden, are hiding from the "face" or presence of God after the Fall. In Genesis 4:5, paniym describes the "countenance" of Cain falling when God did not accept his sacrifice (before Cain killed Abel). In the times of Noah, paniym is employed both to describe the wickedness of man on the "face" of the earth before the "face" of God. Truly a case of being double-faced (the all-good God and the all bad world) and not truly seeing eye to eye.
In Genesis 17:1, Abraham (soon-to-be) and God literally have a face-to-face (paniym to paniym). Later, when Abraham's servant goes out to seek a wife for Isaac, the servant goes before God's face to bless his efforts. This is the first instance I can find of "prayer" where a human being prays (i.e. enters God's presence) in a spiritual sense, where it is not so much a physical coming together (i.e. face-to-face) but more of a spiritual seeking out of God's face (sounds weird to say "to seek God's face"--perhaps to discern His will as we would read both the verbal and non-verbal language of someone we are speaking with?)
What brought all of this "paniym" thinking on is me struggling with the idea of prayer. Being a philosophical person with a fatalistic bent leaves me often thinking "God is going to do what He is going to do." If I pray according to His will, He was going to do it anyway. If I pray against His will, then He won't do it anyway so why bother? It seems to me to be idle chatter.
As a Christian, I think that I do pretty well with Bible reading, thinking about God, and being mindful of His call on my life. One thing I really suck at, is prayer. I just don't get it...and I know that the Bible teaches us to pray and that all the saints in the Scriptures prayed as a way of life, as well even the Lord Jesus Himself. Heck, if He prayed, as God, should not I all the more? That Jesus prayed, as God, certainly could be contemplated deeply...but not in this essay.
I think besides my philosophical fatalism (not necessarily pessimism...many good things happen to me that I feel as if I have no iota of influence over, all of which I am thankful for) and not seeing the logic of prayer (me, finite and fallen man asking infinite and perfect God to consider my petitions), another reason that I struggle with prayer is because it is often about me. Besides prayers of confession of my sin which is a spiritually healthy practice no doubt and which truly should be about me, a lot of my prayers (minimal as they are) are about "me, myself, and I" and once in a while about my wife. It all seems so selfish on top of the other problematic issues I have with prayer that I have already mentioned.
I would like to hear what other people think. And, if you need or want prayer, let me know. Prayer is the supreme act of faith....it doesn't make sense but I am commanded to do it. And, God's purposes are somehow entwined with my prayerful efforts. Maybe having an "others" focused perspective (on God, on other people) is a way out of this theological corner I have painted myself into.
Any prayers requested, of course, will be held in confidence between God and I.
This word in the Hebrew means to beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear. It is the word for prayer.
Paniym is used to describe the "face of the sky, the water, and the earth" in Genesis during the days of Creation. In Genesis 3:8, paniym is used when Adam and Eve, in the Garden, are hiding from the "face" or presence of God after the Fall. In Genesis 4:5, paniym describes the "countenance" of Cain falling when God did not accept his sacrifice (before Cain killed Abel). In the times of Noah, paniym is employed both to describe the wickedness of man on the "face" of the earth before the "face" of God. Truly a case of being double-faced (the all-good God and the all bad world) and not truly seeing eye to eye.
In Genesis 17:1, Abraham (soon-to-be) and God literally have a face-to-face (paniym to paniym). Later, when Abraham's servant goes out to seek a wife for Isaac, the servant goes before God's face to bless his efforts. This is the first instance I can find of "prayer" where a human being prays (i.e. enters God's presence) in a spiritual sense, where it is not so much a physical coming together (i.e. face-to-face) but more of a spiritual seeking out of God's face (sounds weird to say "to seek God's face"--perhaps to discern His will as we would read both the verbal and non-verbal language of someone we are speaking with?)
What brought all of this "paniym" thinking on is me struggling with the idea of prayer. Being a philosophical person with a fatalistic bent leaves me often thinking "God is going to do what He is going to do." If I pray according to His will, He was going to do it anyway. If I pray against His will, then He won't do it anyway so why bother? It seems to me to be idle chatter.
As a Christian, I think that I do pretty well with Bible reading, thinking about God, and being mindful of His call on my life. One thing I really suck at, is prayer. I just don't get it...and I know that the Bible teaches us to pray and that all the saints in the Scriptures prayed as a way of life, as well even the Lord Jesus Himself. Heck, if He prayed, as God, should not I all the more? That Jesus prayed, as God, certainly could be contemplated deeply...but not in this essay.
I think besides my philosophical fatalism (not necessarily pessimism...many good things happen to me that I feel as if I have no iota of influence over, all of which I am thankful for) and not seeing the logic of prayer (me, finite and fallen man asking infinite and perfect God to consider my petitions), another reason that I struggle with prayer is because it is often about me. Besides prayers of confession of my sin which is a spiritually healthy practice no doubt and which truly should be about me, a lot of my prayers (minimal as they are) are about "me, myself, and I" and once in a while about my wife. It all seems so selfish on top of the other problematic issues I have with prayer that I have already mentioned.
I would like to hear what other people think. And, if you need or want prayer, let me know. Prayer is the supreme act of faith....it doesn't make sense but I am commanded to do it. And, God's purposes are somehow entwined with my prayerful efforts. Maybe having an "others" focused perspective (on God, on other people) is a way out of this theological corner I have painted myself into.
Any prayers requested, of course, will be held in confidence between God and I.
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