Prayer questions

     It occurs to me that all my prayer diaries address variations on one basic, open-ended question: What is prayer?  As a person called to prayer, I keep wondering what this prayer idea that consumes so much of my time really means.

      Here are the questions that I’m thinking about today.  

~ 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 to 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; sometimes in meditation the words drop away. Are works and good deeds extensions of prayer, or are they actually another form of prayer?

            I could go on and on with more questions, but I’m going to stop for now, because the very act of writing them feels like prayer to me and for now that is enough of an answer. In fact asking the questions may be sufficient for me, and certainly for God.

      Later today I am going to list these questions on the Home page and add to them from time to time.

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