Prayer...What Exactly Is It?

This is a topic that seems to scare many people and I’m not certain why. In my way of thinking there are three types of people in this world, the people that pray, aren’t ashamed to talk about it and do it regularly. That’s type one. Type two would be the people that give prayer lip service, who say they will pray for you or for this or for that and leave it alone and never really actually pray, although I suppose the lip service is a form of prayer. Then there’s type three. They don’t talk about prayer, don’t pray and unless they are faced with an incredible personal crisis and have nowhere else to turn. (To whom I’m not certain)

I am type one. I’m not ashamed to tell anyone I pray for many things and do it regularly. I am, in fact, comforted to be able to pray. I don’t pray for a million dollars, although if you’re listening wouldn’t refuse it, but I do pray for most all areas of my life and for all my friends and family on a colossal list of different issues. I don’t do this with any expectations of always getting what I want because what I want and what God wants could be quite a different matter. I do it because I consider the action a way of expressing myself no matter what the consequences. Where in this life can you do that?

So what’s the big deal here you may ask? There is a reader or two I know of that have already either stopped reading or are rolling their eyes as they read. (Which is hard to do I’ll grant you) If you consider yourself a follower of most any faith I think it’s critical that you are comfortable actually talking to your higher power of choice. I am Christian so I talk with Christ, God the father and any Saint that might be listening in. Do they hear me? In my opinion, absolutely they do. Will they act on my prayers? In my opinion, in their own way and according to God’s will. Might that coincide with my will? It might……it very well might not.

Prayer is a difficult concept to actually nail down. Even Webster doesn’t have a clear definition. I think it is different things to different people. It is dismaying to see the act of prayer being snubbed out by so many government entities as they need it more than ever and by the way while I’m thinking about it, there is definitive statement in the constitution regarding separation of church and state. Look it up! Our nation’s roots are really steeped in Christianity and that is simply fact.

So whether or not you humbly ask for guidance or for strength or wisdom you are praying. Isn’t that scary? Many of you who don’t consider yourselves religious are really praying all the time! So if you are a religious objector or non-believer know that I will be praying for your redemption. How does that grab you?!