Bloesch: prayer, not magic

Thursday, July 17, 2025
Meditation:
    When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
    —James 4:3 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Christian prayer must forever be distinguished from magic. The true God cannot be manipulated or controlled. He cannot be put in a box. He is not at our disposal even in his revelation. There are no guarantees that God will hear our prayers. Even when our prayers are answered, this is to be attributed to his free grace. Sinful mankind is always dependent on his mercy.
    ... Donald G. Bloesch (1928-2010), The Struggle of Prayer, Harper & Row, 1980, p. 46 (see the book)
    See also Jas. 4:3; Job 30:20; Ps. 6:9; John 9:31; Rom. 8:26; Jas. 1:6-7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, my prayer to You relies on Your mercy. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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