Prayer Guide

"In prayer we open our hearts to God..." -Karl Rahner

There are many different kinds of prayer, and many different ways to pray. 

Geography
Jesus said that when we pray, we should go into our rooms and shut the door.  There is something important about getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and going somewhere private to pray.  We are more receptive to God when we take specific time and go to a specific place to be with God.  Just like we need to set special time aside to be with our spouse or with our kids, and just like when we take that time it helps to get away from others to just be with that person, when we pray we need to take time and simply be with God. 

Posture
Some pray standing up with their arms spread wide; some pray sitting down with their legs crossed in front of them; some pray kneeling with their hands clasped and heads bowed; some pray laying prostrate on the floor as though they lack the energy required to prop themselves up.  Often, people's prayer posture will change depending on what is in their hearts at the moment.  Find a posture that feels right to you. 

Structure
There is a common structure of prayer that allows the pray-er to express a broad range of emotions at any given time.  It is a good place to start.  There are four or five parts:

  1. Adoration - this part allows us to adore God, to worship him and to fulfil the commandment to love him with all of our heart, mind and soul. We praise God for who he is -- our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Salvation, Strength, Rock, Light, Love, and Shepherd. 
  2. Confession - this part allows us to clear away the things that get in the way of our relationship to God.  All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  Yet we confess our sin with the fullest confidence in God's infinite grace and forgiveness.  We are able to be in full relationship with God when we no longer hold on to things that displease God and keep us from God.
  3. Thanksgiving - this part allows us to remember and be thankful for all that we have.  Every moment of life is a blessing from God, every breath we breathe, every beat of our hearts, every day is a blessing.  It is important to take time and be thankful for that.
  4. Supplication or Intercession - finally, this part allows us to come and ask God for our needs and the needs of others.  While there are many things in our lives and the lives of those whom we know for which to pray, it is important to lift up those that are heavy on our hearts.  We can pray for others, for our world, and for ourselves. 
  5. (Optional) Adoration - to close with adoration reminds us that no matter what is going on in our lives, we continue to praise God.

 

The most important thing to remember is to pray from your heart...for God knows what is in our heart before we even speak...and when we open our hearts to God we reveal our need for and thus can receive God's peace, which surpasses all understanding.

Prayers in Scripture

  • 2 Kings 19:15-19 - Hezekiah's Prayer, "O Lord our God, save us, I pray you..."
  • 2 Chronicles 20:5-12 - Jehoshaphat's Prayer, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

Suggested Prayer Resources
Link to the Upper Room's daily devotional.
Link to Elizabeth Moseley's prayer blog.
Link to Upper Room's MethodX prayer methods.