Q&A with Brueggemann #1: Why Pray?

Published by Josh on

QASuzanne Stewart asked:

“Why pray?”

Brueggemann’s response:

“We pray because our life comes from God and we yield it back in prayer. Prayer is a great antidote to the illusion that we are self-made.”

Leave your responses in the comments.

Categories: QA

12 Comments

Phil Hobson · May 6, 2013 at 9:12 am

We pray because we cannot do this on our own.

Dave Detamore · May 6, 2013 at 9:30 am

It’s good to keep in touch with God!

Paulo · May 6, 2013 at 10:22 am

We pray because, if nothing else, praying makes us feel safer, more centered, better, less troubled, perhaps, it even gives us the illusion that an all-powerful deity can somehow help us?

Chuck Miller · May 6, 2013 at 2:00 pm

Walter, That is a helpful response. Thanks.

See you next week in Nashville, for the festival of homiletics.

June Thompson · May 6, 2013 at 2:43 pm

We pray because He is our only hope and sometimes we want to say we love Him and Thank Him for all we have.

    Curtis · May 7, 2013 at 12:38 am

    @June.
    Thank you. For me and my house we go with your answer. It was attractive and inviting like the relational ” Our Father…” found in the Lord’s prayer. Interesting about those disciples then and there. Their concern seemed to be how to pray. We, forever at a distance to all subjects ask why? You have clearly found the warmth and seem drawn to the Father in gratitude and joy. I choose to follow your lead. Again, Thank you.

Scott Webber · May 7, 2013 at 9:52 am

I pray in order to keep centered, humble and to keep the pathway of love open.

David Chapman · August 11, 2015 at 11:58 pm

As always, Walter, you never fail to provoke. Reflecting on a lecture you gave at my seminary (Bethel) back in 1981 (or so!), I would add that we pray because we must risk articulating our pain back to God–that is, we must learn to say, “ouch”–just as we have a need to articulate our sense of wonder–that is, we are compelled to say, “wow.” The degree to which we are intentional, even disciplined, about these articulations is the degree to which we grow in our relationship to God.

Kate · April 19, 2016 at 11:41 am

We pray because it is in conversation with God that we learn to find our place in the God’s story. We pray because we are not alone and we are not lost. In prayer, we locate God, ourselves and our neighbors–we learn that we are all part of the narrative.

    Scott Wenber · May 12, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    Yes, prayer helps to remind. Us of who we are and who God is,

    Scott Wenber · May 12, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    Yes, prayer helps to remind. Us of who we are and who God is.
    Prayer helps us draw the baseline of humility

Maribeth Trueblood · July 8, 2016 at 7:12 am

It seems like lawlessness and corruption are prevailing. Other than crying out to God, what perspective should we have? When we are actually witnessing the OT type disasters, what should be our focus?

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