Prayer

Summary

Prayer is conversation with the living God — speaking and listening in a real relationship. It assumes a staggering truth: the Maker of heaven and earth invites us to come, to ask, to pour out our hearts. Throughout Scripture prayer is the breath of faith. It is how dependent people lay hold of God's promises, find help in trouble, and learn to want what God wants.

In the Old Testament

The Old Testament overflows with prayer: Hannah weeping for a child, David crying, 'Create in me a clean heart,' Hezekiah spreading a threatening letter before the Lord. God's people learned to bring everything — grief, guilt, fear, praise — to a God who hears.

In the New Testament

Jesus taught us to pray 'Our Father,' making intimacy the keynote, and his own life was steeped in prayer. The New Testament urges, 'Do not be anxious… but by prayer present your requests to God,' promising that the prayer of faith is powerful and effective.

Common Misconception

Prayer is often treated as a last resort, or as words that twist God's arm. Neither fits. Prayer is not informing God or persuading a reluctant deity; it is a child trusting a good Father — and one of God's chosen means to actually accomplish his will.

Application

Pray simply and often. You don't need eloquence — you need honesty and a Father who listens. Bring him your anxieties before they crush you, your sins before they harden you, and your thanks before you forget. Start small, but start today.

Key Passages