Dear one,
This morning I had occasion to reread those words of Herman Melville attributed to the hymn of a most remarkable preacher:
“In black distress, I called my God,
When I could scarcely believe him mine;
He bowed his ear to my complaints—
No more the whale did me confine.”[1]
Of course, the preacher’s hymn, reflecting the words of Jonah,[2] are very like the so-called foxhole prayer: “God! Help!” Now my allusion to Melville really reflects my thinking regarding that truism we sometimes hear or voice: “There’s power in prayer.” In general, I would affirm this truth; however, given the opportunity to respond more fully, I’m likely to add: “The power resides not in prayer itself—that is, the words we utter—but in the One who hears and receives our utterance. Or, if there is power in prayer, this is so because Someone has determined that ‘prayer should be powerful.’”
Oh, I recognize that this truism is often a “shorthand” expression, but it does border on the superstitious—at least in my view. However, from a Heavenly view, which I do not possess, perhaps all such utterances, even if superstitious, are likely to be heard.
With this latter thought, am I being contradictory? Perhaps I am, except that I would own that prayer reveals as much about ourselves as about the One we address. Thus, if the foxhole soldier believes his cry is heard; if prayer is ventured as a superstitious incantation, and yet is heard, if there is power in prayer, this is so because the Creator of the universe is willing to listen. Seemingly He is willing to care for us in our moments of desperation, when we can do no other than cry.
From its Latin derivation, the word “prayer” denotes: “obtained by entreaty,”[3] which is fully consistent with its Greek counterpart: προσευχή, which conveys the sense of earnest speech or petition, but also bespeaks of a “solemn promise” or “vow.”[4] By definition, prayer suggests intentionality coupled with true or sincere need—and thus the most basic of prayers: “Help!”
You might recall that Jesus observed:
“When praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles … Don’t be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” [5]
Two thoughts of note: By His use of the word “Father,” culturally He was employing a truly basic, intimate, personal, powerful, and endearing word: “Abba.” Likewise, He underscored that His Abba was all-knowing, but that we, who certainly are not omniscient, often do not know what we need. In fact, or at least this has been my experience, often in prayer, in the words I utter, do I hear my true and deepest need(s).
In these days of Ukraine, may we know the power of prayer: “Help! Please!” And then may we act accordingly.
Sincerely,
Stan
[1] Herman Melville, Moby Dick, (New York: Penguin Books, 2003) p.47.
[2] Cf. Jonah 2:1-10.
[3] New American Oxford Dictionary.
[4] The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Danker (ed.), (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002), pp. 878-879.
[5] Cf. Matthew 6:7-8.