Prayer
While training with chaplains at West Point, we conducted a Sunday morning service for the "new cadets" who had arrived for the summer. Every Sunday morning, the chaplains and those of us in training varied responsibilities and offered support and encouragement when we could. Often times, our supervisory chaplain would offer a short time of prayer for those who had a something which was a concern. During this time of prayer, the chaplains stood up front and prayed individually with people as they came forward. At one particular service, a new cadet came up to me with a concern for the morale of those around him. He was completely new to the concept of prayer and stated right up front, "I've never done this before." So we briefly discussed his need and I lead in prayer, showing him how people relate to a loving God.
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What is prayer?
Prayer is communication flowing from a relationship between God and people, God's prized creation. Summarizing the entire message of the Bible, God desires an active relationship with humanity. Each person has an individual responsibility to recognize God's pursuit of a personal relationship. Found within this relationship is significance, peace, comfort, safety, and security. A relationship with God, however, is not a one sided bull-horn, but rather an intimate relationship, completed through the communication of prayer. Why pray?Since prayer is communication, the best reason to pray is to foster a relationship with God. The God who loves each person beyond measure, and desperately wants us to whole heartedly reach back and by faith accept the love which is freely offered. However, our need for this divine relationship is so fundamental, any attempt to fill the vacancy with anything else ends in absolute disappointment. Often, people initially start to pray because of a specific need. God understands this tendency, and continues to gracefully call people into relationship. How?The disciples of Jesus asked him this very question one day, with his response recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4. Jesus's example clearly shows how it is prayer can be conducted and gives a simple structure to follow. One popular way to structure a prayer, somewhat based upon Jesus's response, is ACTS. Adoration (for who God is), Confession (for choosing to trust something other than God to fulfill needs), Thanksgiving (for provision), and Supplication (or intercession)(for the needs, burdens and concerns of ourselves or others). Another structure to follow is to pray the Psalms. This method easily allows for meditation upon God's goodness, mercy, and complete control. A popular variant of this method is to substitute a first name for all of the personal pronouns (my, I, etc.). One of Gloria's fond childhood memories is her mother reading Psalm 91 aloud, inserting "Gloria" for all of the many personal pronouns throughout the psalm.
*There is a wonderful service which offers opportunity for prayer advertised on this page. I encourage anyone to call the free number listed
below to ask questions about prayer or to have someone join with you in prayer.
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