PRAYER #5: HOW DO WE PRAY?

• Some people sit when they are praying. Others are standing or kneeling. Some people close their eyes when they are praying, some others pray with open eyes. Some people say their prayer loud, others sing their prayer, others pray in lamentation, and still others pray in silent. Christians prayer does not have rules concerning the body postures, the voice and the volumes. Since Matthew 6 encourages us to pray in a hidden place, I feel strongly that the act of prayer is not justified too much from things that are seen, rather from things that are not seen. I am not arguing the discontinuity of what is unseen and what is seen. In most of the time what is seen elaborates what is unseen. Here are some unseen qualities required in effective prayers: humility and respect, purity, honesty, obedience, determination, and love.

• As we are approaching our mighty God and amazed at His Glory, we immediately realize that we are actually very small and insignificant. Humility and respect are threfore the first two attitudes essential in a healthy prayer life. Someone who likes to do what I call as self-appreciation is most likely a person who is not prayerful enough.

• The Beatitude in Matthew 5.8 says that only those who are pure can see God. Purity is another quality needed in a powerful prayer. God is holy. Sin has no place in the presence of God. When sin enters into the presence of God, the results are either wrath and judgment, or repentance and forgiveness. Can sinners pray to God? Off course they can (cf. Luk 18), the encounter with God, however, leads to repentance and forgiveness. The more often we come to God, the purer our heart will be. These words are true: people dislike prayer because they dislike holy living. John Bunyon once says, 'Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.'

• The life of prayer is a journey of peeling our life nakedly before God. It is useless to offer God a prayer that is not honest. God knows all things about us, even if we do not mention them in our prayers. Transparency and integrity are characters directly attached to a prayer warrior. If we cannot be honest to God, how can we be honest to our spouse, family, friends and others?

• Why obedience is important? Prayer without obedience equals to rebellion. We come to God in our prayers, we listen to God in our prayers, and we know His will through our prayers. Disobedience theredore is an intentional act against God and His will.

• Some people pray because they want to pray. Others pray because they have to pray. Still others pray because they do not know what to do. A healthy life of prayer requires determination and self-discipline. We need God and we cannot live without Him. We are totally depend on Him, therefore prayer is not a matter of choice in our lives. We need to learn to seek His face in desperation and determination. None is more important in our lives than God Himself and His loving presence.

• Sincere prayers are built on our sincere love towards God and others. The quality our prayers is determined by the intimacy of our conversation with God in our prayers. And as we are drawing closer to God, we will experience His tender love not only for us, but also for the whole universe. Those who pray a lot love God and love those whom God loves a lot. Prayers certainly do not lead us into a self-centered life style. Prayers on the other hand help us to love others the way God loves them.

• It is not surprising to hear someone says that great Christians are great prayer warriors, because great Christians are those who stay close to God, as 'Mary has chosen what is better,' says the Lord (in Luk 10.42).