Can God's mind be changed? I've read through certain passages in the Bible that show both sides of that question. This was brought up in our small group the other day when when we were discussing prayer and Ric asked if persistent prayer on the behalf of someone truly influences God? (This, then, took us down the Free Will Vs. Election path which I don't want to get in...I'll save that for another time.) As I work through this issue, it seems apparent to me that the prayers/choices we make and God's response to them all have to do with the reference of time. When I make a choice to pray or do anything, the effects of such things are limited by time since I cannot see beyond that very moment. However, since God sees the whole scope of time instantaneously, the effects and consequences of my decisions are known to Him completely. I believe He sees the effects of both the choices I make and the ones I don't. Presently, I've settled on two thoughts: 1) God responds to all prayers. Whether we understand or welcome the answer are separate issues. 2) God works all things to bring Him the most glory.
You see, I've been praying for my dad for the longest time, seemingly without a response from the Lord. Whether or not my petitions and prayers of intercession do indeed play a factor in God's plan for him, I believe I''ll never know in this life. But I can't help but think that despite all that, He still desires to hear those words from me and see that I genuinely care for someone He loves dearly. If I knew for sure that God wouldn't change His mind, would I stop praying? That's a tough one to answer...but the more and more I think about my initial question, I ask myself, "How can a flawed and finite being like myself truly comprehend a perfect and infinite one like Him?" So since I don't know or, more accurately, won't know either way, I think I'll just continue to pray with my hands and leave the details in His...