Question about Prayer

Question:
On that flight that went down in the Hudson River, it is reported that many folks were praying as they were going down. And it seems that their prayers were answered due to the fact that everyone made it off the plane in one piece.

If there were Muslims on the plane praying to their god, then they would say their prayers were answered.

The Atheists would say that were all just lucky and things were going their way and that the prayers meant nothing!

If a Buddhist was on the plane he would feel that Buddha saved them and so on.

I don't know if a member of the church of Christ was on the plane, if so that means another denominations prayer were answered or the atheist is right and they were just lucky.

If all were saved due to prayer, then why were the prayers of the people on the plane that went down in the field on 911 not answered? They had a longer period of time to pray! What about the plane that burst into flames in Denver, many were badly injured on that one.

Why it is one family's prayers for a sick child is answered say the, Jehovah's Witness, but prayers don't help the sick child of a member of the Lord's church?

I still get confused about this.

Answer:

From your message I see you have many questions about how and why God chooses to answer prayer requests.

First, be reminded that God doesn't have to scratch our every itch or satisfy our every curiosity about how or why He does what He does. "The secret things belong to God, the revealed things belong to man" (Deut. 29:29). Instead, let's concentrate on our part and leave His part to Him. "His ways are past finding out." (Rom 11:33). We read that, “He makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”(Matthew 5:45)

Next, God has not promised to answer the prayers of the ungodly (John 9:31), but He may choose to if it suits His purpose. Just as a child who asks a favor of someone other than his parents. They may grant that request but they are under no obligation to do so. Remember, God has promised to answer the prayers of “His child”. 1John 3:22 The answer may be yes. Sometimes He says no, possibly because He knows it isn’t best for us. Other times He may say, “wait a while” to develop patience on our part. We must remember, God always knows what is best for us at any point in time.

Bill Watkins