Why Pray? Why Put On Your Boots?

I've been thinking more about work and prayer, lately... about doing both at the same time, and offering work as a form of prayer. Most Christians will probably agree that prayer is a great privilege, but might miss the fact that work is equally a privilege.

C.S. Lewis, with characteristic lucidity, considers both and in the process debunks an old objection to the idea of prayer. From Lewis' God in the Dock;

Even if I grant your point and admit that answers to prayer are theoretically possible, I shall still think they are infinitely improbable. I don't think it at all likely that God requires the ill-informed (and contradictory) advice of us humans as to how to run the world. If He is all-wise, as you say He is, doesn't He know already what is best? And if He is all-good won't He do it whether we pray or not?'

This is the case against prayer which has, in the last hundred years, intimidated thousands of people. The usual answer is that it applies only to the lowest sort of prayer, the sort that consists in asking for things to happen. The higher sort, we are told, offers no advice to God; it consists only of 'communion' or intercourse with Him; and those who take this line seem to suggest that the lower kind of prayer really is an absurdity and that only children or savages would use it.

...

The case against prayer (I mean the 'low' or old-fashioned kind) is this. The thing you ask for is either good - for you and for the world in general- or else it is not. If it is, then a good and wise God will do it anyway. If it is not, then He won't. In neither case can your prayer make any difference. But if this argument is sound, surely it is an argument not only against praying, but against doing anything whatever?

In every action, just as in every prayer, you are trying to bring about a certain result; and this result must be good or bad. Why, then, do we not argue as the opponents of prayer argue, and say that if the intended result is good God will bring it to pass without your interference, and that if it is bad He will prevent it happening whatever you do? Why wash your hands? If God intends them to be clean, they'll come clean without your washing them. If He doesn't, they'll remain dirty (as Lady Macbeth found) however much soap you use. Why ask for the salt? Why put on your boots? Why do anything?

We know that we can act and that our actions produce results. Everyone who believes in God must therefore admit (quite apart from the question of prayer) that God has not chosen to write the whole of history with His own hand. Most of the events that go on in the universe are indeed out of our control, but not all. It is like a play in which the scene and the general outline of the story is fixed by the author, but certain minor details are left for the actors to improvise.

It may be a mystery why He should have allowed us to cause real events at all; but it is no odder that He should allow us to cause them by praying than by any other method.

I've been doing a great deal more strenuous and physical work, of late, and though I enjoy it, it can sometimes be a struggle to get through the day. So, I pray for physical strength, like Samson did, and then I offer my work as another kind of prayer, asking that I will be able to do it well and to the glory of God.

Comments

[ScottD]

Your post reminded me of something I read by Father Dubay. In his book Prayer Primer he states that work is not prayer and that "scripture flatly denies" it..."even though we offer both to God's glory". He references Sirach 38:27 - 39:6.
I only throw this out there because your post jogged my memory. I am in no way trying to assume, impugn, cast judgment or accuse the way in which you offer your work to God. Gee, ain't the internets swell for communicating? :)