Hello!! :o) I hope you're OK. I very recently asked if God is 'all-knowing'. Most of you said 'yes'. If YOU said 'yes' - I can't help but ask... WHY PRAY?! If God is - as many of you believe - ALL KNOWING - than He would already know what you want and need. So again I ask... WHY PRAY?! Have a great day!! Craig!! :o)
PS I do NOT believe that God is 'all-knowing'. [just so you know] I believe prayer is very important - for that reason.
2006-09-26 10:43:16 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hi Craig,
The reason why we pray is not because God doesn't know what's happening (because God IS all-knowing). We pray because we recognize that WE are not all-knowing. Prayer is an admission that we are kinda-dumb, and that we need God for everything. We need God's perspective in our lives in order to be happy and whole. When we try to do it our own way, we end up naked in the woods (see Adam and Eve). When we ask God to come into our lives and show us the way, we are prepared to handle life.
There's been a lot of debate about prayer in the last 20 years, which I found interesting.. because I wouldn't worship a God that I couldn't speak to and who couldn't speak to me. I wouldn't worship a God who I didn't think was all-knowing either-- what would be the point in that? I have friends I can ask for opinions on, that's not why I have a relationship with God. Prayer is about asking God's opinion, and knowing that He's seeing things from all angles, and knowing that His opinion is the only thing that matters. God's opinion is Truth.
2006-09-26 10:59:10 · answer #1 · answered by retro 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I feel sorry for you that you cannot have a relationship with god. I am no preacher, and yet i pray everyday. Prayer is not just 'telling god stuff'. it is a relationship and flourishes just the same as one between you and your friends. Also, prayer works the other way. It is a way for god to communicate with christians, answer their questions and guide them in the right direction. It is true that god is omniscient and omnipotent, and yet he created prayer to, firstly, develop a relationship with individual people, potentially you, and secondly, to allow demonstration of our helplessness without him. Yes, he will give you what you need and guide you through life, just as soon as you have sincerely asked him. I pray (no pun intended) that you can now appreciate the true meaning and purpose of prayer.
2006-09-26 10:58:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not a hard question to answer really.
First. God tells us that he wants us to pray to him, so doing so isnt just to make us feel good, it is also doing as we are instructed.
Second. God is all knowing. But at times, WE realize and come to understand things because of prayer to God. At times, we learn to express ourselves, learn the nature of God and learn to draw closer to him through and because of our prayers.
God tells us that he wants us to share our thoughts, feelings, agenda, insights and so forth with God. Prayer can help us to learn to have a freindship and relationship with God.
An example. Lets say that a man says to God that he wants to find a wonderful and loving mate. The next thing he knows, a huge and rather unattractive women shows up, which he rejects without finding out if she may be what he asked for.
Now, maybe we need to be specific and tell God what we have in mind, rather then just generalizing with him. Maybe the man should have said that he would appreciate the mate would be blond, have nice boobs and be mute or a great social hostess, instead of just saying he would like a great mate.
Also, maybe the man needs to realize that God is granting him what he asked for, but he is not realizing when it is given to him. Again, prayer can help us learn things which we need to know.
Maybe it is our task to come to understand just how wise and all knowing God is, at least to the best or our human ability. Prayer can help one do this.
Theres my answer to you.
2006-09-26 11:26:37 · answer #3 · answered by Mr. JW 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not really sure how to answer that. I am not an expert in Christianity. I am new to it and came to it by listening to my 5 year old who has brought me to God. She was not encouraged by anyone to believe she has just always known it is right. I believe in God and I believe in prayer. In my heart it feels right and I have felt the power prayer brings. I believe God is all knowing- God created us so he must live within us as well, maybe prayer strengthens him therefore making him all knowing.
2006-09-26 10:58:25 · answer #4 · answered by kaiti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes God knows everything The reason for Prayer is that we seek God guidance so that why we pray Jesus him self prayed The son of God he was also all al knowing if readv you Bible you se that there is many placesd where God knew what was going to happen before it did
2006-09-26 10:50:46 · answer #5 · answered by crazymanca7 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God is all knowing. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God of our needs.
Prayer is the expression of our relationship with God. Prayer is necessary FOR US to maintain a loving relationship with God. if a person does not pray frequently enough, his or her relationship with God suffers much in the same way that if you did not talk to a friend for a long time, that relationship would suffer.
2006-09-26 10:49:24 · answer #6 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God knows all but he wants to know what you are going to out right say that you need. That is why in the bible it says that you say the our father prayer and let that be it. Great question thought but that like a father who knows his son did wrong and the mother told him that the son is sorry and is going to come to him and say sorry. The father still wants to hear it because you are wrong and you need to repent out loud to him even though he knows. Basically he still wants to hear it anyway. Jesus said God knows all and Jesus prayed a WHOLE LOT any way.
2006-09-26 10:48:32 · answer #7 · answered by St.Christopher the militant. lol 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christianity is a Relationship. Not a religion. We talk to God; He talks to us. Prayer is communication, not just asking for favors like little kids. We should pray without ceasing, pray about everything and in all things give thanks. I talk to God just like I talk to anyone. Jesus was tempted in all ways just like we are, but he never sinned. He knows what it feels like to be hurt, lonely, desperate. So, I talk to him. It brings me peace.
Yes, God can and will dispatch his angels to help us. There are many examples of this in the Bible. He will intervene on our behalf, according to His will, not ours.
2006-09-26 10:54:27 · answer #8 · answered by annette1985 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes He is all knowing. Prayer is to keep the connection between God and man open and flowing.
2006-09-26 10:45:03 · answer #9 · answered by peach49444 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
heh (to the first poster) i didnt know your god needed to be kept happy.
well gods omniscience(all-knowing-ness) has nothing to do with prayer, prayer is an attempt to get god to do somehting for you....kinda like a favor. of course what christians fail to understand is that, assuming god exists, their prayers will never be answered. all things happen for a reason. if god could be swayed to change his plan then it wouldnt be a divine plan.
the point is is that god, logically, canot answer a single prayer. or else his divine plan would become null and void.
2006-09-26 10:45:17 · answer #10 · answered by johnny_zondo 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋