Core Practice :: PRAYER

We pray to God to know Him, to lay our requests before Him and to find direction for our daily lives.

Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.

Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

-Psalm 66:16-20

It's no surprise to anyone that prayer is a core practice of the Christ-life, but the three purposes of prayer in the creed remind us what prayer is really about. First things first: we pray to know God. That alone can change everything where prayer is concerned. Prayer is a dialogue between God and his people--not just a laundry list, a religious duty, or a last resort.

I'm not great at prayer that looks like: sitting quietly, early in the morning or late at night, in a room with my eyes closed, for long periods of time. Some people are, and they impress me. I will probably fall asleep or struggle as my mind wanders all over the place. Understanding prayer as an ongoing conversation between God and me has helped tremendously. I can (and do) pray in all kinds of times and places. In addition to helping me as a pray-er, it's helped me realize that God isn't compartmentalized into only one part of my life. In other words, it's easier for me to "find direction for my daily life." Praying in the morning starts something that can keep going all day in every place and circumstance.

Resource: My favorite book on the subject is a little classic called The Practice of the Presence of God by brother Lawrence. He discovered the greatest secret to living in the Kingdom of God here on earth: "practicing the presence of God in one single act that does not end."

Prayer is related to the following core beliefs: Personal God, Identity in Christ, Salvation by Grace.

Kids Q&A:

Kids' creed: "I love God by talking to him daily"
Hand motion: praying hands

Why do we pray? The kids' creed has the best answer: because it's a way to love God. God wants us to talk with Him. It makes him very happy just to hear from us. And doing it daily establishes a habit kids can carry into old age.

What does prayer sound like? When do you pray? What do you pray about? Kids learn the most about prayer by hearing others pray. Mealtime is a great place to start. Expand mealtime prayer beyond giving thanks for your food. Pray conversationally. Pray about anything and everything.

Why do we say, "In Jesus' name we pray"? This may be a question for older kids, but an important one. By saying those words, we acknowledge the core belief of Salvation By Grace, that Jesus is our only way to God.