Children know how to ask for help for themselves (supplication)

Prayer makes room for the “unspeakable” (Yancey)

When we think about asking for prayer – how often do we think of others but not ourselves? Biblical examples of praying for oneself…

Psalm 69 – prayer in darkness and despair, about the woundedness of relationships, reality of enemies, nuances of depression, feeling alone, feeling surrounded by enemies

Mark 14:32-42 – Jesus’ prayer for help – lack of support

JOB – the book of suffering

We are convinced we know how to pray for others – Job & his “friends”

Intercession – pleading for others

Job is a whole book of “Help me” p.822 Peterson’s summary III

“Sufferers attract fixers the way roadkills attract vultures” – Job’s friends

Job’s friends give pat answers, technically correct, void of relationship

“When we rush in to fix things – we need to remember…” p.825

(ADVICE ON PRAYER FOR OTHERS)

God’s answer (to Job, friends, us) is “I’m God and you’re not.” (Job 38)

So does that mean our “help me, help us” prayers are futile –

Not in the least. God desires those prayers, hears those prayers. God will wipe away every tear. But God cannot be manipulated. God may be moved. God may be persuaded. But God is not bound by the whims of humans – we should be glad for that.

Yearn for intimacy, exposure, real relationship with God – all in the asking

Job pursued a relationship with God, never let go, never cursed God, never backed down from his own position either.

Also - Yearn for intimacy, exposure, real relationship with others

How do we have relationships that go beyond that of Job’s nosy friends?

Sit with people in their pain, we can’t become the pain, we can’t avoid the pain

Sometimes sabotage those relationships – creating an unbalance

Enmeshment – lack of boundaries, fusing with the other, expecting someone else to meet all our needs

Cut off – leaving the relationship

We live somewhere between the two. Good boundaries make good friendships.

Relationship with God is naturally unbalanced – God has all the power, but God still promises steadfast love, justice, and mercy

We can count on those promises whether our prayers are answered how WE want or not

God knows our prayers before we ask, and our ignorance in asking

God knows when we wake up and when we lie down

God already knows – risk speaking the unspeakable in prayer