Prayer Rug

I recently received in the mail my very own “prayer rug.” I think they very loosely use the term rug since as far as I can tell it is simply a piece of paper with a print that looks similar to a rug. The amazing this is this piece of paper, sorry I mean rug, is “soaked with the Power of Prayer.” Apparently this means that this group as basically figured out how to force God to give us whatever our wildest dreams are…just see one of the included fliers.

Just some of possibilities that you can get if you use this prayer rug.

So I snapped a picture of the prayer rug, but I hesitated to put it on the internet since it could present the possibility of anyone printing their very own prayer rug. Then I realized it won’t be “soaked with the power of prayer” though. So I suppose I can show it to everyone.

Prayer piece of paper, I mean rug.

So if you haven’t figured it out already I’m being sarcastic. Now it isn’t to criticize those that actually believe that this piece of paper somehow increases their odds of God answering their prayer in the way they desire. I believe the world is filled with people that are in desperate need of hope and perhaps, while misguided, this kind of thing gives someone hope. What really bothers me is that 1) these groups that promote the “gospel of prosperity” and 2) that this kind of crap sent out randomly gives so many unbelievers the wrong impression of what Christianity is.

Those that believe that prayer results in you getting whatever you want and if you don’t then you lack faith are completely wrong. I disagree with many dogmatic issues and I believe that in most cases those that disagree with me have some solid ground to stand on, I just simply believe that the solid ground I’m standing on is more firm. However when it comes to this idea I have no room for argument because if Jesus Christ himself was unable to pray and get what he wanted why should we. Those that disagree with me on that statement better read Matthew 26:39 (“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me”). Some may say that he then ended his prayer with “yet not as I will, but as you will” and this results in him not really asking for it. Well I’m sorry but everyone of us better be ending our prayers with that same sentence because we should ask boldly but also request that it only be given to us if it is in accordance with God’s Will…if you are a Christian surely you must believe that God’s Will is the best thing for you.

The first issue annoys me because that is an argument to have within the Body of Christ, but the second just simply angers me. They need to realize that while they are attempting to focus on the power of prayer they are actually just telling the world Christianity is all about getting money…which is one of the misconceptions the world already has about us. Instead of pointing out what is possible with prayer they need to focus on the message of salvation and forgiveness of sins. There are three things that need to be conveyed to an unbeliever…1) they are sinful (I think this point is pretty easily recognized since no rational person will say that they are perfect), 2) the wages of sin is death (we all face physical death and some will face eternal), and 3) God as paid for that sin and forgiveness can be found in Jesus Christ regardless of what they’ve done. Obviously more clarification is required on those key points, but whenever advertizing to the world the message should center around those facts, not getting what you want.