You have been meeting with your group, either a bible study or just sharing life, and you glance at your watch or peek at the clock on the wall, and all of the sudden you start to perspire (your heart beats faster), everything said for next few minutes is a blur.
You know what is coming up anytime… the dreaded “Ok, time to take prayer requests, anything anyone wants to share, to lift up?”
Then you get either two extremes. You either get the most awkward complete silence from the group, and no one will even look each other in the eye … now that’s community! ( sarcasm 🙂 )
Or, you get an onslaught of requests to pray for everyone and their brother and their brothers friend, the cat down the street, the ice cream man, and 20 minutes later you do not even know who or what you are praying for in the first place.
Then after the 20 minutes of onslaught, a cruel, mean, insensitive leader of the group says … “Who wants to close us all in prayer”. Internally I keep saying … do not look at him, do not look at him, do not look at him, oh shit, I looked at him. The next words hit me like a brick. “Hey Swanny… can you close us all in prayer”.
Ahhhhhh! You have got to be kidding me. Why did I glance his direction? I do not remember my own name, not alone all the requests.
This is where the questions pile up in my mind, and I want to punch the leader right in the mouth (just kidding… maybe?) Here is what hits my mind…
What does all this mean?
Why are we closing?
Does our relationship stop at the end of prayer?
Did God not just hear us for the last 20 minutes talking about the prayer requests?
Why do we have to repeat it?
Is God slow?
Did He not understand the requests the first time?
I cannot stand doing prayer requests. I think they are a complete waste of time. The prayer request time drives me bonkers, and people typically do not like when I say I dislike them and I think they should be cast off into oblivion for all-time.
A couple questions to my blog readers … Are prayer “requests” spirit led? Are they even biblical?
I feel prayer REQUESTS take far too much time and energy than actual PRAYER.
Do not get me wrong, I know we are called to be a Church in prayer, I just do not think we are called to be a Church in prayer “requests”.
Allergic to BS 
This reminds me of something from a sermon our pastor gave a while back…
“Gossip is a sin and what do Christians call it when they gossip?
Prayer Requests.”
Keith – Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Interesting way of looking at it. Have not thought of the gossip route.
I so hear you Swanny.
That is like my peeve with “I will be praying for you”… And walk away. Instead I listen to the person as we discuss whatever we are discussing. Get to know the person and what is going on in their life. Then without me asking or them asking for prayer say “Hey can I pray for you right now. ” Not “I will be praying for you…” Jesus and the disciples never said, I will pray for you later. They prayed on the spot, and all the time. The look on people’s faces when I do that, is priceless and wonderful at the same time.
Peace Bro.
ckroboth – If you ask someone to pray for them right there where you are, do you ever have anyone say “no thanks”?
Nope.. Not so far. Surprised and Shocked looks… But never a refusal.
ckroboth – I asked because I was wondering if some people would feel “put on the spot” when asked
Great post! Pretty much you said exactly what I have been feeling/thinking about prayer request time for YEARS! 🙂 Thanks for your perspective on things Swanny, I relate to many, if not all, of your posts!
Beth – Welcome. Thanks for taking the time to read my posts. I look forward to some good discussions.