Why do we need to pray?

[AndyF]

The issue with many people is the context of their prayers. Prayer as a vehicle for conversation with God must also involve shutting up and listening for that "still, small voice". Further, prayers seeking things and only when seeking things are vain prayers indeed. Far better to focus on efforts to remember the needs of others around you. The truth is, God indeed knows our hearts and minds, though we often do not. We confuse ourselves with self-seeking means of gaining attention to our petitions.

Collectively, these would make up the varying range of conditions and types of prayers and responses that they would illicit. But I was implying, perhaps not clearly, that statistically we should see some people who have been granted never being tested. If you attribute the prayee's shortcomings as the causitive factor, and these observances are correct, then you are implying that since the time that the prayer was taught, every person's prayer has not met the various criteria for being granted.

That is hard to believe. It also begs the question why Jesus's foreknowledge that none would be granted did not deter him from saying it, as there would be no substance in reality for it..

At Cana, Mary sought a vain(yours) thing to help the bridegroom. She went beyond self resignation to await the outcome and on to the liberty of being presumptuous, "Do what he says.". So the liberty of positive expectation is the norm. In fact we often look pie eyed and in a pityable manner at our parents when we expect things, and we go on to prepare for the positive outcome. I think Father is also a human father as well, approachable and predictable by his love as any father we are familiar with, and that is why Mary was completely at ease with her expectations.

AndyF