In an atheistic society that values work and 'social action', and despises prayer to God, C.S. Lewis introduces us to a new take on an old maxim - 'prayer IS work' ('prayer is powerful action').
This article is in a series of five fantastic newspaper articles written for 'The Coventry Evening Telegraph' from January to May 1945 and addressed typical atheist arguments:
‘Religion and Science’ (3 January 1945);
’Who was Right? Dream Lecturer or Real Lecturer’ (21 Feb. 1945 - • Video );
‘The Laws of Nature’ (4 April 1945 - • The Laws of Nature by ... );
‘Work and Prayer’ (28 May 1945 - • Work and Prayer by C.S... ); and
‘Meditation in a Toolshed’ (17 July 1945 - • Meditation in a Toolsh... ).
(0:06) The phrase ‘Pray & Work’ ('ora et labora') refers to the monastic practice of physically inactive praying & physically active working, which is the motto summary of the Rules of St. Benedict (prayer being of 1st rank). Lewis reverses the phrase to “Work & Prayer” as explained below.
In a Christian society, monks were putting too much emphasis on prayer, and neglecting practical duties in the monastery (perhaps to avoid physical work also). The new maxim “Work IS prayer” emphasized that doing the physical duties God has called you to were important also - cooking, cleaning, gardening & teaching were holy tasks as well as prayer. C.S. Lewis reverses the meaning. In an atheistic society that has no value for spiritual things or patient faith, 'work' (especially cunning attempts to control and manipulate events) is supreme & in such a society, prayer loses its shine. So Lewis takes this other meaning (6:22), & says “Prayer IS work” also (prayer is a powerful form of causality). Prayer can change and affect events - just like work - & can be far more dramatic, because it is unlimited by time and space. He then outlines the important difference in the two types of causality.
(1:51) Verses where petitionary prayer in the Bible were encouraged by God and His anointed:
For daily bread, forgiveness, guidance, deliverance: biblehub.com/n...
For healing: biblehub.com/j...
For protection from enemies: biblehub.com/r...
For conversion of the outside world: biblehub.com/r...
For the Holy Spirit: biblehub.com/l...
For wisdom, and guidance as to God's will: biblehub.com/j..., biblehub.com/c...
For strong faith: biblehub.com/l...
For boldness: biblehub.com/a...
For persecutors: biblehub.com/m...
(3:57) A sentence from the play ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare, spoken by Lady Macbeth, the wife of the title character. Her husband has killed the king of Scotland at her urging, but her guilt over the murder gradually drives her insane. When she speaks this line she is sleepwalking, & she imagines that a spot of the king's blood stains her hand.
(4:57) As Lewis says: ' "God," said Pascal, "instituted prayer in order to lend to His creatures the dignity of causality." But not only prayer; whenever we act at all He lends us that dignity. It is not really stranger, nor less strange, that my prayers should affect the course of events than that my other actions should do so. They have not advised or changed God's mind - that is, His over-all purpose. But that purpose will be realised in different ways according to the actions, including the prayers, of His creatures (Essay, 'The Efficacy Of Prayer').'
(7:42) “I should be thankful that we were safe from that cruel mercy [of their gods] which the wiser Pagans had to dread, numinibus vota exaudita malignis ['enormous prayer which Heaven in vengence grants']. Even as it is I must often be glad that certain past prayers of my own were not granted” ('Petitionary Prayer').
More on prayer: The interesting thing is that God can prompt you to ask Him for certain things, say, a prayer for the protection of someone you didn’t know was in danger, and you find out the next day that at that moment they were in terrible danger, and they were miraculously saved. Prayer for things like this are according to His will, and when prayed in this gifted and certain faith are certainly answered. God prompted you to pray, therefore it is already according to His will, and then God answers the prayer, that He himself seeded. God seems to like us to be involved in the faith adventure.
See Philippians 4.6: “Be ANXIOUS about nothing, but in everything by prayer and by petition with thanksgivings, let your requests be made known to God; and the PEACE of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Note: An atheist has to constantly try to be in total control of important events and this is extremely stressful.
It is possible to pray selfishly -“You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4.3).
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