What is prayer?
This blog is my attempt to respond to the question, “What is prayer?” Notice that I use the word respond, not answer, for I believe anything that relates to God is too mysterious to answer.
For many years I have felt God call me to pray for people. The formal term would be intercessory prayer, but that is not what I hear when I am with God. This has to be a God call, for no way would or could I ever make up such an idea, and what’s more, I just can’t get it out of my mind. Consequently, as a person called to prayer, I keep wondering what this prayer idea that consumes so much of my time and energy really means. Now that I am retired I have more time to “keep alert” about it. Here are the questions that I’m thinking about at the moment. I am sure you have your own; please send them along. I’ll add others as they come to me. ~ What does Jesus mean when he says, “This can only be done by prayer.” ~ Does prayer really matter? ~ Can we change the course of events with prayer, and if so do we influence only the good, or can we also effect bad things that happen? ~ What part does my attitude play in the power of my prayer? ~ Does God listen when I pray with a closed heart? Is that really prayer? ~ Traditionally I think of prayer as saying or singing words, although in meditation the words drop away. Are works and good deeds extensions of prayer, or are they actually another form of prayer? |
My other blog
My companion blog to A Prayer Diary, is called, A Cottage by the Sea, “for people who are looking for silence, solitude and simplicity and who sometimes want to be alone.” I keep the two separate because I know there are many who long for solitude, but who aren’t into prayer, and in fact, who might turn away from God talk.
www.acottagebythesea.net |
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