What Intenimator Do I Use

What is prayer?

If we were restricted to one sentence, I would say that prayer is the act of talking with God, to pray to God to ask him what he promised. In the Bible it is mentioned that it was at the time of Enoch, a grand son of Adam, the first man, as men began to pray. In other words, that men began to go to God to communicate with him, talk to him.

Throughout human history, we see that men have turned to God and this continues until that moment when I speak. How to talk to God? Jesus told us that it is our Father in Heaven as we speak. For tonight I will discuss here two points about prayer.

• Prayer is not a recitation but a conversation

Consequently, chat with our Father is different from a recitation or staging. Imagine that to present your list of school supplies to your Father, you recite a poem on Father's Day before you tell him your needs. That would be ridiculous. Similarly when we speak to God our Father, we speak to him simply, frankly, respect and love.

• Prayer is not a religious obligation but an expression of our faith.

God does not correct the exercises of prayer. It was not a red pencil to note those who have the most beautiful lyrics, beautiful voices or who pray the longest. The Christian life is a relationship between God and his children. And as in any relationship, there are conversations that can sometimes take more time at some times than others. Moreover, the quality of the relationship is all better than we know the caller. In the New Testament we are told that God knows all things and that even the hairs of our head are numbered. But we must pray without ceasing. Thus prayer is given to us to express our faith in God, our trust in our Father in Heaven, who is Almighty and love.

Finally, prayer is talking with God. God invites us to pray with confidence, being sure that he hears us because Jesus has given us access to God as his children. Like any father, God has in store for us good things, he also answers our prayers proper time, according to our needs. I invite you to pray this week in remembering these two points.

(Stéphane)