Most People are like Lo Sole. I have had the opportunity to ask many people in public places, “How can I pray for you?”, and only once have I had someone say no. Most people are very open to it and will often tell you more about their lives than you want to know.
As for the Penn State or Tebow public displays, just look at the opportunities we now have to explain prayer to others, to foster relationships in order to share our faith. In the Penn State prayer, glory to God, it moved everyone.
Is public prayer appropriate, if it brings peace to you and others …..YES!!!
The fact is everyone is different including christians. As christians when we pray in public it should be an act of humility and thanksgiving to God, not about who’s watching. However I’m sure there are “christians” (whether they actually have a relationship with God or just a public portrayal of it) that do it just for the attention.
‘As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!’ We pray at every meal openly, even if we are in a fancy place or at home and even in the fastfood places. It isnot to make others uncomforable or feel bad but we are truly thankful for what the LORD has blessed us with. My children are grown and married now but they also do this and I am thankful they do…GOD has blessed us for honoring HIM.
Personally when I see someone pray publicly, I feel encouraged! I looked at it as no different than two people holding hands or kissing in public, they are expressing, their realationship, their feelings of Love for the other. We do the same when we pray we humble ourselves to God thank him for his blessings sometimes ask for forgiveness, and tell him we love him. Much like our relationships with our wives and loved ones, I have noticed when my relationship with God is at a high point so is my relationship with my wife and when my relationship with him wanes so does the one with my wife.
Most People are like Lo Sole. I have had the opportunity to ask many people in public places, “How can I pray for you?”, and only once have I had someone say no. Most people are very open to it and will often tell you more about their lives than you want to know.
As for the Penn State or Tebow public displays, just look at the opportunities we now have to explain prayer to others, to foster relationships in order to share our faith. In the Penn State prayer, glory to God, it moved everyone.
Is public prayer appropriate, if it brings peace to you and others …..YES!!!
The fact is everyone is different including christians. As christians when we pray in public it should be an act of humility and thanksgiving to God, not about who’s watching. However I’m sure there are “christians” (whether they actually have a relationship with God or just a public portrayal of it) that do it just for the attention.
‘As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!’ We pray at every meal openly, even if we are in a fancy place or at home and even in the fastfood places. It isnot to make others uncomforable or feel bad but we are truly thankful for what the LORD has blessed us with. My children are grown and married now but they also do this and I am thankful they do…GOD has blessed us for honoring HIM.
Personally when I see someone pray publicly, I feel encouraged! I looked at it as no different than two people holding hands or kissing in public, they are expressing, their realationship, their feelings of Love for the other. We do the same when we pray we humble ourselves to God thank him for his blessings sometimes ask for forgiveness, and tell him we love him. Much like our relationships with our wives and loved ones, I have noticed when my relationship with God is at a high point so is my relationship with my wife and when my relationship with him wanes so does the one with my wife.