What is prayer?
I would like to take some time to attempt to awnser that question in a way that is relivant to even the most mild of believers.
The truth is everybody prays in one way or another. Prayer as I understand it is a fundamental part of being human and is ever so important.
when we pray we are calling out to something greater to intervene in our lives for the better.
whether we pray for wealth or for the well being of those we care about most of us pray without even knowing it.
I know not everyone hits there knees everyday in a display of faith pressing there hands together and talking directly to god but we all have our moments when we plead with the unknown for some type of assistance in our lives.
we say to ourselves "please let this interview go well" or "please dont let this crazy driver hit me"
who or what are we directing these thoughts towards?
even the most subtle internal utterance is a testimant to a faith we may not even aknowledge.
an athiest prays! although they may not see it like that.
I believe that even those that dont have a close personal relationship with god still feel the pull of faith.
the underlined subconcious feeling that we are not alone.
when we pray we are ususaly in a situation in which we feel we need help. so rarely do we pray just for the sake of connecting with god.
the fact is the connection is there wheather we choose to aknowledge it or not.
God is always with us, always talking to us constantly pushing for us to come to terms with ourselves and find peace in olur lives.
we know this is true because when the boat is rocking we call out for help.
we turn our eyes up in a pleading prayer and are for just a momnet connected to the force that is our creation and our demise.
we throw up our hands when we give up as if we are literaly passing the buck to an unseen force.
when we are angery or feel defeated we curse the name of god as if the happenings of our life are the fault of an unseen forse especially when we say we do not believe in him.
they say to know god is to fear god.
in the bible in the book of job we are told the story of a man that lived for god and thus was tested by satan.
in this story satan goes to heaven to report to god his doings on the earth job:1 vers 6
One day as angels came to present themselves befor the lord, satan the acuser weant with them."
and god asked satan if he had seen his servant job.
job:1 vers 7
"then the lord asked satan :"have you seen my servant job? he is the finest man in all the earth a good man who fears god and will have nothing to do with evil":
the story goes on to tell us that satan tested job killing his family his livestock and deystroying his home and property.
job was covered in sores from the crown of his head to the souls of his feet and still does not blasphme god. instead he prays.
he asks god why he is to endure such torment and begs god to tell him what he has done that he may make omends.
His prayers werent awnsered immidiantly instead god allowed satan to not only stand in his presence but also to conduct evil upon his most loyal servant.
This might seem confusing. compare that with how you feel about god and the devils relationship.
the life of job almost seems like a bet between to old friends.
This might portray god in a more callous sence than we would like to think of him.
The fact is job was never left solely to the whims of satan.
there was one thing that satan could never take from him.
his prayer, his conection to god was the key to enduring the misery of this world.
it was his purpose in life it was all that mattered.
in the end of the story job was restored to glory and forever kept to his faith and his connection to god but still bad things had happened to him.
never in all his prayer was he given reason to the madness he had to endure but still he prayed for awnsers, for relief from his torment.
job understood that as long as the connection to god exsisted there was no need to lose all hope.
prayer is uplifting and when we pray with the intent to pray our prayers are carried with a more pressing sence of urgency a sort of rush delivery if you will.
thank god we are not granted everything we pray for but thank god we are connected to our creator.
just the fact that we can pray should bring us closer to god and give us all faith.
just the fact that we all pray in one way or another should be evidence to a higher power.
and in closing we should all take the time to pray for someone else. for someone we dont know and for selfless reasons.
a prayer given to another is a blessing to ones self and ones soul.
so pray with intent no matter what you believe.
pray for what you know is right and pray just to surrender to connect to have a conversation with god.
pray because you can and have faith to carry your prayer and let not the world guide you away.
you are all in my prayers and i can only hope to be in yours.
blessings to anyone who might read this and everyone who does not :)
REV TOM
and resources available to you. Just as you enjoy being with the people you love, you will learn
to enjoy spending time with God the more you get to know H... more