Prayer: It's more than talking with God

What is prayer?  

Prayer is...communication; it's a dialogue with God. God talking to you, you talking to God; it is God listening to you and more importantly, us listening to what God has to say. Matt Slick, of CARM.org states "Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God. Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian.  Prayer is the exercise of faith and hope. Prayer is the privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord."  

Why is prayer Important? 

The importance of daily communication through prayer cannot be overestimated. It is so important that it is mentioned over 250 times in Scripture. So why is daily prayer so important? First, daily prayer gives us an opportunity to share all aspects of our lives with God. Second, daily prayer gives us the chance to express our gratitude for the things He provides. Third, daily prayer provides the platform for confessing our sin and asking for help in overcoming that sin. Fourth, daily prayer is an act of worship and obedience. And finally, daily prayer is a way to acknowledge who is really in control of our lives.  

What can Prayer do?

According to blogger, Andrew Brown, prayer is futile. However, he also states that prayer is sometimes the only thing we have to offer some one. Every Monday evening, I attend a Prayer meeting at a local Church of God and we pray for our nation, Israel and each other's needs. It is with this group that I have learned a lot about the power of prayer. 

One of my gifts that I have and really one of my spiritual disciplines is to "stand in the gap." (Ezekiel 22:30). The mighty pray-er Andrew Murray stated "God's giving is inseparably connected with our asking...Only by intercession can that power be brought down from heaven which will enable the Church to conquer the world." Jack Hayford writes "Prayer is essentially a partnership of the redeemed child of God working hand in hand with God toward the realization of His redemptive purposes on earth."  

One prayer can change someone's life. Tonight, I had the opportunity to tell my friend Libby how much I admired her from walking away from her family. You may be thinking "why would you admire someone from walking away from their family?" Libby is the granddaughter of Fred Phelps and was raised in Westboro Baptist Church.  

Cover of Libby's book

As a young woman, my family had the opportunity to attend a veteran's funeral when some picketers came and harassed the family and the mourners over the fact that our veterans were dead. Coming home that evening my parents were telling me about the people who were at the funeral picketing, I was enraged that someone would be happy that someone we loved was dead. My family sadly spoke of the situation, "is there nothing we can do?" I said "We can pray for them." So earlier this year, I heard of a book called Girl on a Wire. It's written by Libby Phelps Alvarez; I was immediately excited that God had somehow intervened in her life to pull her from WBC. You see someone I have never met, had someone praying for them. And it was awesome to share that with her tonight. Now maybe that makes a person sound crazy—like religious nut crazy; but ultimately prayer is a gift and it's one of the best gifts we can give people who know us and those whom we'll never meet. 

How then shall we pray? 

Prayer is so important that many religious orders/denominations dedicate entire books to prayer. I own several and use them on a regular basis—especially those times when I get stuck and I don't know exactly what to say to God. However, great these books are, Jesus' words also teach us to pray. Matthew 6:9-13 contains the Lord's Prayer: "Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'" 

My personal favorite version of the Lord's Prayer is from the Book of Common Prayer:  

Our Father who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name. 

Thy kingdom come. 

Thy will be done 

on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, 

and forgive us our trespasses, 

as we forgive those who trespass against us, 

and lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil. 

For thine is the kingdom, 

and the power, and the glory, 

for ever and ever. 

Amen 

Most importantly, when it comes to prayer, pray with thanksgiving, humbleness and sincerity. Take time to listen to God—really listen for God's voice; and then make your petitions known.