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| Is Prayer Really Prayer? |
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Is prayer really prayer, if there's no passion? What we call prayer takes many forms, often totally dependent upon words. Unfortunately I suspect that many of our "prayers" may only make it a few yards, as I believe that God hears, not our words, which were developed by man, but our hearts. Language is a wonderful tool for communicating amongst ourselves, but God doesn't need language. He hears our deepest cries. He hears our groanings that are more profound and sincere than words could ever capture.
Nehemiah was working as a servant to King Artaxerxes when he heard from his brother that those who escaped exile were shamed and in trouble. The walls of Jerusalem had been demolished, and the gates destroyed by fire. Listen to Nehemiah's reaction:
1:4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
This was something deeper than, "Lord, be with my brothers and sisters, and take care of them. Amen." This was anguish and passion. This was heart-wrenching concern.
But such prayer is dangerous, because God hears our cries, and He responds as He often does, by choosing human hands to do His work. And, as He did in Nehemiah's case, He just might choose the one who already has the passion! Yes, Nehemiah himself went to the king and asked for a leave of absence to go into Jerusalem and rebuild the walls!
Consider all the prayers we have in the Bible. Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane. Mary's prayer. Job's prayer. Daniel's prayer. David's prayer . . . Hear the passion in them. See how God moves through those who pray.
Forgive us, Lord, when we water down the word "prayer." Teach us to commune with You as You desire it. Teach us to pray so that we are Nehemiahs for Your kingdom, laying the bricks!
8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
Enon Prayer Triplets: As we pray for our church, are we passionate in our prayers for our leaders? Are we passionately seeking Enon's place in His kingdom? Are we allowing God to rend our hearts and mold us? |
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| To add a comment to "Is Prayer Really Prayer?" |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Great Word Kathy!
I am re-evaluating my own prayer life. I realized that much of my prayer wasn't really prayer at all. It was murmuring and complaining. God 'forgive' me this, or God 'give' me that. That's not prayer. Now that I am understanding that He has already forgiven me, and that I have already been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms, I have removed those selfish petitions, and just about all that is left is heartfelt praise and worship.
What this is beginning to do is get my attention and focus off from self and my heart for others is beginning to grow. It's a beautiful thing! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Just curious Kathy.....
Is it your opinion that Romans 8:26 is referring to praying in tongues? |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| Great Word Sister!!! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Kathy, very interesting topic...as you know, I am sure, there are so many books written on prayer that it makes it a hard topic to discuss...we all seem to have our ideas of what a prayer should be.
Does the attitude make a difference when we pray? Does my attitude toward you make a difference when I ask your forgiveness? But isn't God far greater than you (no offense intended my friend)?
I have found through my life that my prayers change my heart. Even if I start praying about something without passion, if I continue praying, the passion can develop. Then my heart changes. Perhaps this is what you are talking about here, too. When our hearts change, we are more open to having God use us. We don't resist. I am sure Nehemiah could come up with a thousand reasons why he didn't have time to go build the walls. However, his heart was tender and God used him to respond.
I like that.
May our prayers never be rote, but always from a heart that is tender toward God. I would go so far as to say, Lord, do what it takes to make sure my heart is tender. |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| Michael, thank you for sharing how God is working in your prayer life! I'm sure God hears even the young child's wish list prayers, when they are heart felt and sincere. But I agree that He longs to see us mature spiritually and change from seeking our own to seeking His will. What would happen if we all sincerely prayed for God to use us any way He wanted to today, and then we allow Him to work through us, without any of ourselves getting in the way? One of my favorite quotes: The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him. I will try my utmost to be that man. -D.L. Moody
As for the tongues question, lol. I hesitated before posting that verse, because I knew someone would bring that up, but I didn't think it would be the first person to comment! No, I am not a tongue speaker, so this verse does not say anything to me about tongues. It is about the Holy Spirit's role in our prayers.
Doyle, thank you!! It's always a pleasure to see you! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| Love the Moody quote. Me too! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Thanks for the response Kathy.
I had the idea that you were not a tongue talker. I hope this comment doesn't cause this blog to take off in that direction either. But for me, praying in tongues is the way I allow the Spirit to express itself. It is the way for me to pray without myself getting in the way.As in one of your statements "as I believe that God hears, not our words", I find my prayers to be much more meaningful, the less I know what I am praying. But that's just me.
I love your posts by the way. Thanks! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Voice, amen on this blog not being the definitive statement on all prayer. What I am talking about here is sincerity. If I ask God to forgive me, and I am sincere, there will naturally be a passion in my plea. God is faithful to forgive. If I, however, mouth the words, "Lord. forgive me," without feeling any remorse and without turning the other direction, my point here is, I am not sure we can call that a prayer. There is certainly no set formula for prayer. That in itself would inhibit the sincerity. But I am sure that prayer is not about words. Prayer can be stated with words, because words are the tool we use to communicate, and certainly God can understand language, but what I think He hears is the cries of our hearts.
119:145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep thy statutes.
This song illustrates what I'm trying to say here: http://search.playlist.com/tracks/Cry%2520of%2520my%2520heart And I think you and I are saying the same thing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Prayer to me is your most heartfelt longings and desires and I found myself ,as I matured as a child of God, that man's language was not enough to really express how I feel. I now ask the Father to look in my heart and hear my prayers. They cannot truly be expressed in any language that man has developed. I cannot express in verbal form How I really feel about my love for God and for my desires for family and friends...
I still pray verbally but to truly express what I feel it comes from my innermost being.
Thanks Sis |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Kathy, I have been amazed lately at how God has responded to my prayers offered in states of emotional dryness. I have often felt like I was just going through the motions, praying by force of will. Then a day, couple days, or week(s) later a person I was praying for would relate to me the good (and most unlikely) news, which appeared (or in my mind had) to be direct answer to prayer! I've been astounded at how faithful God has been!!
Not to intentionally offer up a contrary point of view, but your blog reminded me of something that caught my eye a while ago as I read Screwtape Letters to my daughter:
(In the book,) Screwtape writes: “He (God) will set them off with communications of His presence which, though faint, seem great to them, with emotional sweetness, and easy conquest over temptation. But He never allows this state of affairs to last long. Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on its own leg – to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him the best."
Isn’t this a magnificent point? The demons know that our faith often thrives on the emotional highs, and when those mountaintop experiences fade in our memory we are wide open to spiritual attack. But, according to wise old Screwtape, if the Christian perseveres through these times of dryness, that is when the greatest spiritual growth occurs!!
Maybe this isn't contradicting your blog at all, but perhaps simply another angle by which we can consider our prayers? (ps...star regardless, I enjoyed reading it either way!) |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Amen, mstovall!! You and I speak the same language! :)
MIchael, if praying in tongues is done sincerely, it can certainly fit into the spirit of this blog! I see tongues, not as a means to itself, but as a tool for communing with God. That is to say, the goal is not tongues, but prayer. I suspect you will agree. |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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I do indeed agree Kathy.
Communicating with the Father without the carnality of my brain getting in the way. For I know not what I pray. But my spirit communicates to His spirit. Spirit to spirit. For the flesh profit us nothing. |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Good word Kathy, This weeks Sunday school lesson will be on prayer using Daniel's story for text. Thanks sister. |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| Hi Mike! I love The Screwtape Letters, and I agree with both this passage and with your sentiments. When I talk about passion, I do not emotionalism. Although God can certainly work through our emotions, emotions are short-lived and unpredictable (especially for us females! - don't comment on that!). :) I have observed that the role emotions play in our worship is directly related to the role emotions play in the rest of our lives. For those who experience most of the world through emotions, then naturally their worship experiences (including prayer) will be more emotional. For those like me who rarely even yell at a ballgame, my worship style is different. My assertions here about passion and sincerity, however, are really not related at all to emotion. It's a difficult concept to talk about, as words cannot adequately define it, much like trying to describe the depth of genuine love, which likewise, in my opinion, is not an emotion. Thanks, Mike! Don't you love C.S. Lewis! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Amen, Michael. Sometimes we don't know know what to pray, but our passion is to serve and please God, and the Holy Spririt can indeed translate our human shortcomings into a sweet aroma before God. Sincerity and Passion for Christ!
Thank you, Jerry! That sounds like a promising sermon!!
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Interesting song Kathy...I would say that for the last six months or so this (to make the cry of our heart the same as the Father's) has been the theme in our church.
61:1 + 61:2 \61:1\ Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 61:3 \61:2\From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I. 61:4 \61:3\For thou hast been a shelter for me, [and] a strong tower from the enemy.
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| What a great quest for a church to have! Enon is involved now in prayer triplets in which we are praying to discern what God wants us to be and do as a church. My group has been a blessing! You posted one of my favorite passages! |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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Kathy, thank you for this post and the reminder of the value of our prayer life with our Father. One of my favs is the reminder that when I do not have the words even...God knows for the Holy Spirit makes intercession for me.
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| oops...forgot the star! |
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| April 20, 2008 |
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Thank you, Restore! What a great passage! (I don't think I know the song. ?)
Pastor Tim, beautiful! From both you and C.S. Lewis! Thank you for sharing!
Amen, Cheryl, and thanks for the star! Are you moved yet?
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| April 20, 2008 |
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| I just now got on here to read your blog and all the comments. What inspiration! I find that I am not often praying in words, but often praying with thoughts and with waiting, letting the Spirit lead. At times in my life I have had a specific prayer time, but more recently it is often more a sense of "praying continually" by just letting myself be in the Presence of God/Jesus as about things and listen... as I think, drive, wash dishes, garden ... |
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| April 20, 2008 |
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| You are so right Kathy. God hears our hearts, not our words. I used to belong to a church that had pre-written prayers in books, and we would recite them as a part of our service. The prayers had absolutely no meaning for me. They were just said from memory, but not from the heart. Now when I pray, I try to pray as though I am speaking to God and He is right here in the room with me. Much like I would talk to a friend. God doesn't want written down, memorized prayers. He wants hearfelt prayers...not to say that the ones that are written down are wrong, but we need to feel them with our hearts, not just read them. |
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| April 20, 2008 |
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Just got moved yesterday...still some small things at the old house.....will need to clean carpets etc...
Tonight is last night on computer...disassembling it tomorrow to move it. Much love! |
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| April 20, 2008 |
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Bestemor, your comment started me singing "I come to the garden alone . . . And He walks with me and He talks with me . . ." What a beautful picture!
Deb, I have a good friend who experiences profound worship through liturgical readings, and I have also, on occasion when I am able to lose myself in the words. I do enjoy reading the prayers of our giants in the faith of long ago. I even enjoy writing my prayers sometimes. But like you, my intimate time with God is most often just the two of us with no pen and paper and no books. We are all different, but all of our worship and prayer should be with passion and sincerity, focused on the One we are worshipping! I'm glad you shared your story!
Cheryl, I am not envious! :) |
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| April 20, 2008 |
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| great blog on prayer. Kathy you have confirmed the message to us first by Rev Wesley Jacob who visited us and stressed the need to pray and now you are talking about this. Praise the Lord. |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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Thanks, Gene! I remember that song, and will listen to it more closely when I hear it now!
Thank you, Ragland! It's always great to hear from you! Aren't God's confirmations great! |
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| April 22, 2008 |
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| Kathy, great blog! My own experience in prayer is very disappointing I am afraid, not that God does not answer...not at all because He does but my prayers always (to me) seem so repetetive and often selfish. My heart knows what I mean to say but my mind lets out the wrong sentences. I feel conscious of "dramatising" in public prayer and half expecting praise for "A well said prayer" that is not acceptable! how can I overcome this Kathy? can you help me? love Stu. |
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| April 22, 2008 |
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Stu,
The other day we were finishing up a group discussion and we in the go-around-the-circle-in-prayer phase. I had nothing to say but I didn't want to just pass either. So while the others were praying I silently prayed that the Holy Spirit would fill me and pray for me.
And that's just what happened. I got no accolades, but that first hand experience of the Holy Spirit was out of this world!
Gene |
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| April 22, 2008 |
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Stu, most of us struggle with prayer in some way or another. My advice to you as a fellow traveler would be to find a block of a couple of hours to spend just communing with God, with or without words, but not to let words monopolize the time. Share with him your concern about public prayer, and allow Him to bring to your heart anything else that He wants to bring to you. Use worship music if that helps. Read some Scripture if that helps. But mostly just be still and let Him fill Your heart, mind, and soul. Jesus' words in Matthew 6:1-21 are a great passage on prayer. I am no better than you, my brother, but I will join with you as you pray about this, and I'm sure others who read this blog will do the same. Prayer is so very important in God's eyes, as it is the intimacy in our relationship with Him. I'm sure it gives Him great pleasure when we attempt to commune with Him better. God bless you, Stu!
Gene, thank you for your encouraging story! |
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| April 24, 2008 |
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| Hi, Kathy--just want to say two of the most wonderful ways God helps me pray is "singing a prayer of intercession" and praying God's word. God bless. |
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| April 24, 2008 |
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Thanks, Suzanne, for sharing your story. If prayer is sincere and from the heart, there is no wrong way to do, and music and Scripture are great ways to usher us into worship and communion with God! I'm with you there!
Lara, as I responded to Stu, we all have our prayer struggles. Tears are not requisite to passion, but they are usually a sign. Your husband must be a very caring man. I find my biggest obstacle is giving God the time. He doesn't always respond to my little 10 minutes blocks of time, or my multitasking prayers, but when He is the priority, and there is no time limit placed on Him, those are the wonderful times! I turn off the computer, the tv, and the radio, and say, "Lord, I am all Yours. Take me where you want me to go this morning." No work, no MyChurch, no distractions. Thanks for your comment! It's always great to see you! |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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| Steel : The most beautiful prayers I hear are the prayers of my husband. He became a Christian in the last 8 years. He struggled with prayer because of the eloquent prayers he heard in church.....as we began to pray together, he opened his heart and mouth up to God. I told him that if I heard the "thees and thous" coming from his mouth I would wonder who it was.....that is not how he talks, LOL.......his prayers are like a child's.....honest and from the heart. Sometimes while praying together we cry, sometimes we laugh....sometimes when he doesn't know how to find the right words for what he needs to say.......he says " Lord, you know what I mean". And I smile, because the Lord does know what he means :) |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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| Amen, Cindy! Thank you for sharing your personal prayer story, and welcome to MyChurch! I look forward to seeing more of you! |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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| Kathy, thanks :) I can't say what's right or wrong in praying......just what works for us. |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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If it's sincere and from the heart, there is no wrong way to commune with God, and although we all need that one-on-time alone with God, I love to hear about couples that also regularly pray together like you and your husband do! What a strong bond that forms in a relationship! |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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| We have not always prayed together.....long story, but we do now and it's the time I feel the closest to my husband.....because if we are praying from the heart, we are opening up and that creates a vunerability, all guards are down.....and we truly are one. There is an intimacy between us, together and God, when we pray, that has no equal :) |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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Cindy, I think there's some truth to the old saying "The family that prays together stays together." If two people are sincerely seeking God's face and His direction together as well as individually, it seems to me their chances of surviving the difficult times are greatly enlarged!
Your picture is beautiful. Where was it taken? |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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tHANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT FAMILY.....BOY DO I LOVE YOU LOT! |
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| April 25, 2008 |
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Lara, I'm sure Michael is impressed with your Englsih tongues! :) As I'm sure you know, crying does not have to be a part of passion, and I suspect you are more passionate than you realize. We all have our passions about something. When our prayers and our passions meet, a spark is ignited! A passionate prayerdoesn't necessarily evoke strong emotion, although it might. It likely though will dwell in our hearts and on our minds, as God reminds us to keep it lifted before Him, and we genuinely and deeply care about the subject of the prayers. I can see passion in you!
Stuart, you are likewise an encourager, and just as appreciated and loved!! |
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| April 28, 2008 |
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A broken and contrite heart God will not despise. As I have grown in my prayer life, I have learned it is not about me talking but me sitting before Him in His presence and listening, thinking, meditating, reflecting, allowing Him to direct me in my prayers through the Spirit.
Jesus said, "Do not be like the Gentiles who think that they will be heard by their abundance of words." It is about fellowshipping with the Father. AMEN Kathy! The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous accomplishes much, not half hearted rote prayers, oh by the way prayers, and quickies. |
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| April 28, 2008 |
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Amen, Brother Todd, Amen!
Thanks, Lara! That's still all I'm saying about that! Be blessed, sis! ;) |
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| May 01, 2008 |
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| This is a great discussion on prayer. For me, I have found it more important that I do it than that I spend time thinking about how to do it right. Maybe that's because I tend to "overthink" things! If I'm talking to God about what is in my heart - submitting whatever is there with humililty and readiness to accept correction, then I think He is pleased. |
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| May 01, 2008 |
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| Amen, Jay! I totally agree! Thanks for sharing your personal experience! |
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| May 05, 2008 |
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| | | Unselfish intercessory prayer is the best. I do not like superficial praying, I personally don't like praying out loud in church. Many years ago, I had a wonderful few hours one Sunday night when I said and meditated each phrase of the "Lord's Prayer. Before, I had said it as my routine good night prayer during my childhood. I didn't know that God did not care for such. Only repetition "with the heart". F -- fear not A -- assurance from God's Word I -- in God's love T -- trust in God and the Bible H -- holiness with Holy Spirit and Bible help P -- power from Heaven R -- ruled/guided by the agapè love of God and His Word A -- attentive to the Holy Spirit Y -- yearning for Christian, world revival E -- earnest to be righteous and compassionate R -- ready for the return of Jesus Christ | |
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| May 05, 2008 |
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Thank you, Bill! I agree that sincere prayer in whatever form is far greater to God than the loftiest of superficial "prayers." Even the recited prayers, when sincere, can sometimes be very meaningful. |
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