This week will be the 3rd installment on our 7 part series "Christianity 101" and we're back to prayer. Two weeks about we talked about what prayer does and why we do it. This week will be more nitty-gritty and we'll talk about how to pray, what we actually do.
So, here's what I'd like you to do. Tell us about how you pray. When do you pray and why. Is there a standard prayer you use or a standard pattern you follow? Do you use any special words or postures? What other kinds of praying have you observed in others? What do you think about different ways to pray?
After you've thought about these questions and answered them in you mind (and hopefully with comments on the blog), then you can check out some of the scripture passages I'll probably be reading on Sunday... James 4:3, James 5:13-16, Matthew 5:6-8.
Have a great week. -Pastor Eric
2 comments:
I usually pray at night before I sleep. Which can be bad because I tend to fall asleep before my prayer is over.
I often wonder if my prayers get answered as I have never witnessed a prayer of mine to be successful. Yet, I still find SOME peace and satisfaction when I pray. I've often thought that maybe I should pray during the day when I'm more awake and perhaps I should pray out loud, maybe I may find some of my prayers more successful.
I'm curious to learn more about prayer because in the bible prayer seemed like it was a true connection with God and that God actually listened and responded. There are so many stories and miracles that happened because of prayer, yet I don't hear about prayer being as powerful today as it is implied to be in the bible. Just recently, letters that Mother Teresa had written were revealed to the public. In her letters she writes about an emptiness and a darkness she had felt when she communicated with God. Here is this iconic woman that millions looked up to for spiritual faith, a woman that was said to have healed with her prayers and now we learn that she hadn't felt God's presence in years. The way she lived her life and devoted her life to Christ puts my devotion to shame.
To me this seems to point towards the reason my prayers aren't answered is because nobody is listening. When you repeatedly ask for help in understanding and you yearn for a sign from God, a path to follow, and you don't get an answer, prayer seems meaningless. I'm sure some people pray to go through the motions, to try to ensure their "spot" in heaven, that's not my reason. I pray because I have too many questions about my faith that are unanswered. I am seeking an answer and hoping to get one, but as time goes by and I don't feel God's presence or "get an answer" my faith grows weaker.
I like to pray whenever I'm alone which may be on my morning walk, a drive in the car, or when I'm unable to sleep. There is no schedule to when I pray but I pray often each day. I truly believe God hears all prayers and that He doesn't always answer as we ask, We need to have patience and listen for the whispers.
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