HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THIS? ~ I almost burst into laughter when I saw this cartoon, thinking, "Oh no, art imitating life again!" Not because I am dissing prayer - for that is the time we are speaking directly to God, thanking Him, praising Him, and asking for His continued blessings. So no, I will never speak bad of prayer.
But I have discovered a new kind of prayer. I call it Gen Z Prayer - and it is one of the negatives birthed by the advent of the iPhone generation. Forget going to church holding a Bible, or praying from your local church printed prayer list - no need, they, and many others, are in your iPhone. Forget praying from the heart - no need, a list of hundreds of prayer recipients has been sent to your iPhone by your pastor or prayer meeting leader.
Believe it or not, I experienced this phenomenon as early as 1990 - brought to us via e-mail and the internet. In 1990 I was a relatively new believer (1987) and seeking knowledge and leadership wherever I could find it. Brings to mind an old song "Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places." But besides my home church, the Fil-Am Church of Irvine - I discovered Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa's KWVE K-Wave Christian Radio. There I found Pastor Chuck Smith and many other great Calvary Chapel pastors.
Unfortunately I also found my way onto the CCCM Prayer List (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) which lists hundreds of folks to pray for - by name only. Once again I am not dissing prayers for our missionaries - but since I am not familiar with each of them personally, wouldn't a prayer for God to protect, provide for, and encourage "ALL our missionaries" as a group be more effective - for God does know each of them personally, while we do not. Then we could concentrate on praying for the needs of our local brethren, whom we do know.
And I have experienced this Gen Z phenomenon in more recent years. I was attending the combined Bible Study/Prayer Meeting of a local church and right away found that their prayer meeting was a Gen Z iPhone Prayer Meeting.
After a devotional, we would break up into small groups for prayer. I would seek out one particular group, for my blessed, intuitive, dear Friend/Brother, Danny, sensed my discomfort in trying to pray into an iPhone - and allowed me to only do the closing prayer. But still, sitting there listening to people read names (almost like reading from a telephone book, another blessing unknown to most Gen Z brethren) - could lull one into a short nap.
Once again, I am not dissing prayer, for prayer is like having God on your Speed Dial, always there. While I have been comparing the impersonal iPhone prayers to "let's hold hands and pray" type prayer - a beautiful memory came to mind. Circa 2000, Dory and I had gone to an evening service at the Fil-Am Church of South Orange County - and as was usual, Pastor Sam Lacanienta had a short devotional at the rear of the church before the service began.
Dory and I were in that group and when Pastor Sam asked us to choose a prayer partner for prayer - a young boy about 10 years old, Eduardo, asked if he could be my prayer partner and I was thrilled that this young boy would ask an older man to be his prayer partner.
Eduardo and I went to another pew and I offered an initial prayer, then Eduardo began to pray. He prayed for a while and then sat silent for a period of time which I took as time for a closing prayer. When I began, a blessed thing happened - I heard Eduardo saying, "I was not through yet!" And through a big smile, I told him, "Please continue."
Later the week, Dory and I attended a Youth Bible Study at Eduardo's home. Right away I noticed that Eduardo, the youngest in the group, was the one most actively leading the study. Talking with his dad later, I told him, "I believe you have a future pastor in your family."
Yes, all of these thoughts rolled out of my mind when I saw this cartoon. And the thoughts have blessed me.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
But I have discovered a new kind of prayer. I call it Gen Z Prayer - and it is one of the negatives birthed by the advent of the iPhone generation. Forget going to church holding a Bible, or praying from your local church printed prayer list - no need, they, and many others, are in your iPhone. Forget praying from the heart - no need, a list of hundreds of prayer recipients has been sent to your iPhone by your pastor or prayer meeting leader.
Believe it or not, I experienced this phenomenon as early as 1990 - brought to us via e-mail and the internet. In 1990 I was a relatively new believer (1987) and seeking knowledge and leadership wherever I could find it. Brings to mind an old song "Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places." But besides my home church, the Fil-Am Church of Irvine - I discovered Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa's KWVE K-Wave Christian Radio. There I found Pastor Chuck Smith and many other great Calvary Chapel pastors.
Unfortunately I also found my way onto the CCCM Prayer List (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa) which lists hundreds of folks to pray for - by name only. Once again I am not dissing prayers for our missionaries - but since I am not familiar with each of them personally, wouldn't a prayer for God to protect, provide for, and encourage "ALL our missionaries" as a group be more effective - for God does know each of them personally, while we do not. Then we could concentrate on praying for the needs of our local brethren, whom we do know.
And I have experienced this Gen Z phenomenon in more recent years. I was attending the combined Bible Study/Prayer Meeting of a local church and right away found that their prayer meeting was a Gen Z iPhone Prayer Meeting.
After a devotional, we would break up into small groups for prayer. I would seek out one particular group, for my blessed, intuitive, dear Friend/Brother, Danny, sensed my discomfort in trying to pray into an iPhone - and allowed me to only do the closing prayer. But still, sitting there listening to people read names (almost like reading from a telephone book, another blessing unknown to most Gen Z brethren) - could lull one into a short nap.
Once again, I am not dissing prayer, for prayer is like having God on your Speed Dial, always there. While I have been comparing the impersonal iPhone prayers to "let's hold hands and pray" type prayer - a beautiful memory came to mind. Circa 2000, Dory and I had gone to an evening service at the Fil-Am Church of South Orange County - and as was usual, Pastor Sam Lacanienta had a short devotional at the rear of the church before the service began.
Dory and I were in that group and when Pastor Sam asked us to choose a prayer partner for prayer - a young boy about 10 years old, Eduardo, asked if he could be my prayer partner and I was thrilled that this young boy would ask an older man to be his prayer partner.
Eduardo and I went to another pew and I offered an initial prayer, then Eduardo began to pray. He prayed for a while and then sat silent for a period of time which I took as time for a closing prayer. When I began, a blessed thing happened - I heard Eduardo saying, "I was not through yet!" And through a big smile, I told him, "Please continue."
Later the week, Dory and I attended a Youth Bible Study at Eduardo's home. Right away I noticed that Eduardo, the youngest in the group, was the one most actively leading the study. Talking with his dad later, I told him, "I believe you have a future pastor in your family."
Yes, all of these thoughts rolled out of my mind when I saw this cartoon. And the thoughts have blessed me.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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