CHAPTER I: THE DEFINITION OF PRAYER
A. What is Prayer?
Webster defines prayer as a supplication or expression to God. A set of words used in praying. Simply stated, prayer is an open communication with God. The key word in communication is “commune”: getting to know one another; not as where just one party does all the talking, but each having the same opportunity to address and express. The anonymous author of, “Prayers That Avail, The Believers Manual” writes:
‘Prayer is our safe place – our place of refuge – in difficult times. The reassures and troubles of life have a way of bringing us to a renewed awareness of our need for the fathers help. The miracle of prayer is found in the truth that once we express our need(s) to the Father, He takes action in our behalf’.
As one would sit and have a conversation with a friend talking about everything from last night and maybe the night before, trying not to leave any thing out; one would also agree this form of communication is equivalent to the way one would communicate with God. First, read, read, read the Holy Word of God on a daily basis, the more you meditate, ask questions and wait for a response – the commune will no longer be a routine but a desire.. Second, set personal time aside with the Lord Thirdly during that personal time, the conversation should be constructed as a two way street; not one party taking advantage of what is suppose to be a c-o-n-v-e-r-s-a-t-i-o-n. For example in a male and female relationship, the woman may desire her mate to be in tuned with her wants and needs, some time without her even saying a word, based on statements throughout the relationship. The man on the other hand expects the same in return, so the woman cannot believe her cares are more valuable. However, most often, neither party are aware of their wants and needs - that is a never-ending battle. God is the only one who truly knows. That is the reason why we must have a relationship with him first, then with others. There is no other way to explain why communication is of extreme importance in every relationship. In addition, God desires for humanity to know Him in His fullness. So much so, He called Abraham friend. James 2:23:
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God”.
Abraham built a genuine, trustworthy relationship with the Lord. A true friendship, if you will. Abraham’s friendship with God was not the kind that leaves one feeling like he has been left out in the cold when things get tough. However, the kind that causes one to feel he has a shoulder to lean on in the time of trouble, especially when you are dealing with your child. It is known in every household, in every language, parenting can be a tough job. Nevertheless, God commissioned parents to train children in the way they should go. In order for children to begin building a genuine, trustworthy relationship with God in the way of Abraham, Bruce and Mitze Barton instruct parents how to teach their children to pray. Preparing them for life struggles as they build strong conversational prayer lives:
‘The goal of teaching children about prayer should be to create adults with a prayer life that is comfortable, relaxed and spontaneous. But during childhood, we’re just trying to reach basic attitude of trust toward God. Never try to force children to pray, but instead teach genuineness in prayer. If you have taught your children a memorized prayer, ask them to add one sentence about something they can thank God for specifically. Sometimes it helps to take turns praying together: “You say something, and then I’ll say something, and then we’ll end it.” In essence, you’re teaching a kind of conver-sational prayer’.
Homer W. Hodge writes in “E. M. Bounds on Prayer”:
'Prayer should be the breath of our breathing, the thought of our thinking, the soul or our feeling, and the life of our living, the sound of our hearing, the growth of our growing. Prayer in its magnitude is length without end, bottom, Illimitable in its breath, exhaustless in height, fathomless in depths, and infinite in extension’
Hodge states, prayer is without limit, without end. Nothing or no one will ever be able to take what one prays to God and discard it. Only God can help one in a time of indecisiveness. Evidently, words are powerful and prayer is life changing. God’s word, used in prayer goes and does just what it is suppose to do. In prayer, one can not say too much or too little. Its ends are compared to instant text messages - awaiting confirmation to the sender. Thus, may be the reason why God created this invisible fiber optic connection. It is faster than any DSL computer connection, easier than trying to program a remote control and more convenient than typing a letter.
