DOES GOD ANSWER VAGUE PRAYERS?-1

I just finished reading one of the best books I have read in years. But I would like to challenge a statement in the book. The author gave a well-known quote from one of the spiritual giants of our day. “God does not answer vague prayers.” To be honest that is not my experience. In the past few years I have celebrated many such answers. In most of these I knew to pray for a person or situation, but just did not know what to pray. In one notable case I sensed a check in my spirit anytime I tried to pray something specific for a particular family. I began simply to take them daily to God asking Him to work in their lives. I was not sure I wasn’t praying for judgment to fall on ungodly people whom He may have raised up like Pharaoh (Rom.9:17). I was astounded when I received news that the couple had started going to church. I was not surprised to hear that the teenage nephew living with them who had been bounced from home to home all of his life was making fun of their church going. Finally I heard that the boy was dramatically saved.

Now I will grant what some of you may be thinking. I do not know if I was the only one praying for this family. And I do not know that God did not work in spite of my weak prayers. However, such questions can be asked about any answer to prayer. I suspect these factors play a part in all praying. I thank God that His work does not depend on my getting prayer right all the time. And if I am praying for someone, I believe God is probably urging someone else to pray as well. That is part of the wonder of the family of God.