Christianity: God, Faith and the Practice of Prayer

Prayer is communication between believers and God within a relationship of consequence.

Prayer may be individual or corporate and it may be silent or audible, and it may cover an amazing range of subjects.

Roberta Bondi  - “One of the things that derails prayer faster than anything is starting with some sort of noble idea of what it ought to be.  I stress that prayer is a pretty ordinary everyday kind of things.  Yes, it has its high moments, but a lot of prayer is just a matter of showing up”.

Prayer is a means in and through which God gets things done in the world.  God acts in the world in and through prayers.

God is absolute monarch, in total control of things, micromanaging the world.

God is a seamstress or a weaver (Psalm 139 v 13) who weavers our prayers into God’s quilting work in the world.

Prayer may be considered an aspect of the gift of relationship that God has established with people, whereby God and human beings can meaningfully interact with one another.

God knows that communication is a key to a healthy relationship. And so prayer is God’s gift for the sake of meaningful interaction with human beings in relationship.  Speaking and healing, listening and responding – these are central to what it means to be in a relationship of integrity.

God is delighted when we pray. Most basically because prayer is a sign of health in the relationship.

Prayer is not a substitute for action, but prayers and actions can work together (Kings 20 v 1-7).

Prayer has an effect on the one who prays.

Prayer has an effect in the relationship between the one who prays and God.

Prayer has an effect on God.

Prayer has an effect on persons and situations for which one is praying.

God encourages prayer, God receives prayer and God evaluates prayer.

Marjorie Suchocki: “Because prayer is to God, honesty is an essential character of prayer.  Quite simply if God knows me better than I know myself.  What point is there in pretending I am other than I am before God?  Prayer is not the place for pretended piety.  Prayer is the place for getting down to brass tacks.  Thus we might as well acknowledge our true state when we pray. We pray to God from where we consider we should be.  And God, who knows us where we are, can lead us to where we can be”.

Prayers on behalf of others (intercessory prayer) is effective.

God’s heart is the first heart to break, and God’s tears are the first to flow.

Human beings may be forgiven for their sin, but the effects of their sinfulness will continue to wreak havoc on those involved beyond the act of forgiveness.

Prayer is a God-given way for God’s people to make a situation more open for God, to give God more room to work, knowing that God desires to be close to people.

God always has our best interests at heart.

Never changing will be God’s steadfast love for all, God’s saving will for everyone and God’s faithfulness to promises made. God will keep promises.

The people of God have been gifted with the power of prayer as a means in and through which God accomplishes things in the world.

Prayer is one way in which the mission of God can be furthered in the life of the world – even beyond the range of our voices.  Even in the midst of natural disasters.