GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
MARK 1:30
The Essence of Prayer
The current new thing is AI, Artificial Intelligence. Several companies are developing their own versions of these massive computer programs. The millions of computer processors required to run these programs consume vast amounts of electrical resources. To acquire some of that electrical energy, one company plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor, which partially melted down in 1979, leading to the nation’s most serious commercial nuclear accident in history to date. However, the availability of these AI programs means that people must now learn to use them. Commercially available AI programs require inputs, commonly known as “prompts.” An industry has emerged to teach users how to frame these “prompts” correctly for the AI programs to generate accurate responses or “output.” Using an incorrectly worded “prompt” can produce useless information.
St. Mark noted that after Jesus’ lesson in the synagogue and confrontation with the unclean spirit, he and four others went to Simon’s house, seemingly to partake in the traditional Sabbath meal. “But the mother-in-law of Simon was lying down with a fever, and they spoke to him concerning her.” (1:30) St. Luke, the physician and historian, noted that she was lying with a “great fever.” (Luke 4:38) Neither Peter’s wife’s name nor the name of his mother-in-law is recorded, but “they spoke to him concerning her.” While no one recorded exactly what they said about her, they surely described her condition as accurately as possible. To use current terminology, they framed an accurate “prompt.”
Just as companies teach people to frame effective “prompts” for AI programs, there are also individuals teaching Christians how to pray. On one occasion, a disciple said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1) In Mark’s account, they “spoke” to Jesus regarding Peter’s mother-in-law. It seems that these disciples emphasized the purpose of Christian prayer: to speak to the Lord about a need.
Directory