| APRIL 1, 2025 -- I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Psalm 17:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
What is Prayer? In its most basic form, prayer is talking to God. This is distinct from meditation or reflection. It is direct communication. We know that the Lord is always willing to listen to us, and seeks to hear from us. There are many forms of prayer and many different things that may be included in prayer. Prayer may include praise, thanksgiving, supplication, and seeking reassurance.
Formal prayer is one type of prayer. When God’s people come together to worship him they may express themselves out loud in public formal prayer.
At the other extreme is silent and private prayer, sometimes quite short and extremely unformal. It may be totally unplanned and spontaneous, such as when danger approaches and one thinks “O God, help me”, or a very simple “Thank you, God” on other occasions.
We can be fairly certain that God hears all prayers, no matter what the format or the occasion, but it can be argued that some of our prayers are ignored, especially if they are insincere or are given only to impress human listeners. Prayer to God must come from the heart, and the actual words used, whether silent or aloud, are not important. There may be times when we sincerely want to talk with God but cannot find the words to use. Don’t let it bother you. God reads our hearts and does not need actual words. In fact, there is a saying that actions speak louder than words, and this can be true also for prayer. In the initiation ritual of the Third Degree of the Grange, as part of the Overseer’s charge, are the words “Work is Prayer”. The real meaning of this saying refers to work which is directed toward the betterment of our fellow human beings and the world around us. In such circumstances work “is” definitely a form of prayer.
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