praying

Praying is a wonderful privilege we have from God. God wants us to speak to him. He actually listens, chooses to listen to our prayers. We have to cultivate this practice, but it's a practice in which we ought first, as a rule, to listen and seek to "hear" God. This is from meditative, prayerful reading of the Bible, God's word. And in silence, reflecting on what God may be saying to us as we reflect on our lives and on life itself. Not that we can't come to God when need arises, or trouble strikes. We need to cry out to God during those times, as we see repeatedly in the psalms.

God wants us to pray because this is an indication of true faith in him, and God desires communion with us. In Jesus we have this access to God, through Jesus' blood, that is, his death for us, and his resurrection, so that we can come to God in him, knowing full well that no matter how troubled we are, and sinful, he will hear us, if we come to him, in and because of Jesus. And indeed, we must ever come to him, just as we are.

There is nothing more encouraging than having a time of prayer with God in which I sense that I'm really praying to him and that he's hearing that prayer and helping others or myself- in my often poor, feeble prayers. It's like getting caught up sometimes into something beyond us, into the love and unfolding good will of God in Jesus. Though what we see others walk through, as well as what we walk through, will often be challenging in this life, and prayer will sometimes be difficult. To learn to pray during the bad times, as well as good. To be devoted to prayer. This is an important part of the will of God for us in Christ Jesus during this present life.

What would you like to add to this? How has God helped you in your prayer life?