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b'In his Pentecost 9 sermon Clay challenges the conventional views of prayer as being more about magic than faith.\\n\\n"So contrary to what I think is common belief, prayer is not about being consoled or finding relief from life\\u2019s difficulties for others or ourselves. Prayer doesn\\u2019t give us security and assurance. It is not a tool for climbing the ladder of success or escaping life\\u2019s trials and tribulations by appeasing God. It is not about having our heart\\u2019s desire answered, no matter how selfless and well meaning. If prayer was about answers every little girl in New Zealand would have a pony and every little boy would become an All Black and every grown-up would win the lotto. If prayer was magic, hospitals would be empty, undertakers would be unemployed, and relief workers would have no hungry to feed or refugees to house." View full text at http://www.stmatthews.org.nz/nav.php?sid=327&id=747.'