Prayer

Last week was the National Day of Prayer and got me thinking a lot about prayer the past few days.  What exactly is prayer?  It is talking to God, but is there a certain way we have to do it?   Are there certain words we must use?  Is there a formula we have to follow?

I don't think so.  Praying is talking to God.  That means talking to God like you would talk to anyone.  Expressing what you're feeling and needing.  It means asking questions about whatever you don't understand.  It also means listening.  It means being still and listening for God.  It means reading His Word and then being still to listen for a response.  Jesus gave us an outline for prayer in the Lord's prayer, but I don't think it necessarily means quoting it word for word.  It means praying all the parts of the Lord's prayer.

I did manage to find a National Day of Prayer service at the Ellis County Courthouse.  Thank you Ellis County Ministerial Alliance.  We prayed together for seven different areas: Government, Church, Military, Family, Education, Media, and Business.  There is something to be said for people agreeing in prayer and all praying together for a common goal.  This is the what we do in our Moms in Prayer meeting.  We pray for our children and our school.  It bonds us as moms and keeps us focused on our children.

In the prayer guide we received, it listed an outline for prayer:  P--Praise

                                                                                              R--Repent

                                                                                              A--Ask

                                                                                              Y--Yield

Moms in Prayer uses a 4-Step Model:  Praise

                                                              Confession

                                                              Thanksgiving

                                                               Intercession

It's important when we pray that we don't use God as the cosmic vending machine in the sky, but remember to praise Him for Who He is and what He has done.  Don't forget to confess, ask forgiveness, and ask for help to live life differently in the future.  But, most of all, don't forget to "yield" or be still and wait for God to talk back.  I think prayer is a conversation and a conversation is not one sided.  True conversation only happens when there is a give and take and in order for that to happen we must be still.

The National Day of Prayer is great and praying together is so important.  But, we must not forget to pray daily--not just on the National Day of Prayer.

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