As a Matter of Fact
WHAT IS PRAYER?
At times Christianity can be confusing. When you start to read the Bible there can be names of people and places you have never heard before. There will be words that have little to no meaning outside of the world of faith. And even more confusing, there are words that you do know, but when they are carried over to Christianity they have an even greater depth of meaning than you ever realized before. Knowing that navigating concepts within Christianity can at times be overwhelming, Word on the Street is going back to the basics to tackle common questions. These are questions that are not only integral for the new believer, but also for the seasoned Christian and anyone who is skeptical about the Christian faith. They are truths that you never graduate from. In this issue, we are going to discuss prayer.
WE WERE DESIGNED FOR A DEEP DEPENDENCE UPON GOD, AND PRAYER IS PART OF THAT INTIMACY.
MISCONCEPTIONS OF PRAYER
Everyone has heard of it. Most have practiced some form of it. However, there is a lot of confusion surrounding prayer. Is it like a lucky rabbit’s foot, an ultimate genie, a ritual item we check off our “Get Into Heaven” list, or is it just reciting some words we learned in confirmation class? And who do we even pray to? Is it Mary, one of the saints, or is it talking to an imaginary friend? The truth is, these perceptions obscure the fact that it is a lot simpler than we might believe. It is simply talking with and hearing from, God.
REAL DEPTH
We were designed for a deep dependence upon God (John 15:4), and prayer is part of that intimacy. You can go to Him at any time, just like you might call one of your parents to tell them about your day. Have you ever noticed that sometimes in the Bible God refers to Himself as Father (Matthew 6:9)? Or refers to us as sons (Ephesians 1:5)? Prayer is an aspect of a relationship between a perfect Father (God) and an imperfect, sometimes rebellious, adopted kid (Christians). It’s exclusive to those who have been, and continue to be, honest with God in confessing our wrongs (sin) and reaching out Him as the only One who can transform and redeem us. But it doesn’t stop there. Prayer is like a phone call with God where the minutes never run out. It’s not like we redial only when there is an emergency. God invites us to go throughout our day with Him (1 Thessalonians 5:17); thanking Him, worshiping Him, talking through life situations, asking of needs, etc. A lot of times we overcomplicate it, though. In simple terms, prayer is just part of the relationship; it’s talking to God. Now the question is, are we willing to listen?
GOOD CONNECTION
Prayer is not a means to a smooth, comfortable life. Admittedly, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14) does have that ultimate genie vibe at first glance. But, the key point of that verse is “in my name,” meaning in His will. The truth is, God’s will isn’t always smooth or comfortable (Jeremiah 7:27, Luke 9:58). But keep in mind, for Christians, God is both the King and Lord of our lives, as well as a close and personal Father who invites His kids into His presence. The thing is, real prayer doesn’t mean we can’t be honest with Him, nor does it mean we can’t ask Him for our wants. The beauty of prayer is that we get to work through those life situations with God (Luke 22:41-44). We can go to Him trusting that He knows what is best, He takes care of his own (Romans 8:28), and He can do the impossible (Matthew 17:20). Prayer expresses not only our desperate need of God, but that we actually want God actively involved in our lives and in the lives of those around us. That’s true prayer. It’s a part of the deep and real relationship with the One who we were created for.