Suppose, for argument’s sake, that every time we asked God for anything and ended our prayers with some appropriate formula, such as “in Jesus’ name,” we immediately received what we asked for. How would we view prayer? How would we view God? Wouldn’t prayer become a bit of clever magic? Wouldn’t God himself become nothing more than an extraordinarily powerful genie, to be called up, not by rubbing Aladdin’s lamp, but by praying? “Please give me the ideal spouse, today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” “Please raise up eighty-two more missionaries for Zaire, complete with their support, by the end of
...more
