Most people, despite their religious beliefs, are practical atheists. They can make plans without him, meet their needs without him, live the essence of their lives without him. Their prayers give them away. They cheerfully talk to God as if they didn’t really need anything. They may pray for God to heal a sick friend, but in their hearts, prayer is secondary to medicine and not really important at all. When sickness strikes home and medicine doesn’t stop it, their actions may begin to line up with their doctrines. Then their prayers might become prayers of desperation, the kind God can answer. At last they mean what they pray.