What’s Prayer?

Scripture/Bible:  "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread; 12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt 6:7-15

Reflection:  The only prayer that Jesus taught his disciples was the ‘Our Father’.

That’s the most interesting aspect of the man who taught us to watch and pray always. (Lk. 21:36; Mk.13:33-37; Mt. 24:42, 25:13) Just a few lines of prayer!

If we look at these few lines then we have missed a point.  Jesus in this prayer teaches us the endless, unceasing, eternal and effective prayer and the very first words are more than enough to communicate that. : 

By introducing God as Father he has introduced us into a relationship, that too an eternal relationship unlike the mortal relationships in which we normally find our happiness in.  

Thus he has changed the whole dynamism of prayer, which is no longer an abstract form, a compulsion, that has to exist in our life whether with multiple words or a mantra or some techniques or an exercise in concentration or some magical formula. 

You got to sit and relate or seek to relate with the one whom Jesus introduces to us Father; His Father is now gifted to us as a Holy, almighty, royal, powerful, reigning, merciful, forgiving and providential God as 'Our Father".   

The stranger God is no longer a stranger because Jesus our friend and redeemer introduces him to us as a Father who though powerful and almighty cares to provide us our daily bread, forgives us our sins provided we forgive those who trespass against us and protects us from the evil one and his temptations.

If I know this then I need not recite the prayer again and again in order to enter into a relationship with God but only live out this relationship always and anywhere, in his presence.

Do you really consider God as your Father, then live it out, why are you worked up, anxious and worried, rather seek to know him and his love merciful and providential love for us.   

Prayer:  Recite the Lords’ prayer meaningfully and live out it out beginning with your prayer time.

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