In this world, we are fighting a constant battle. Competition is a part of our existence, and winning is the key to survival. We have been trying to do this for the past 2-3 millennia of our existence. We had to fight off with our kin to survive. Wars were fought, and many lives were lost. It is the battle that we always have envisioned.
From the early Viking conquests to the current Middle East wars, it seems that there is no end to violence. We always try to live in peace, yet something happens, and everything goes back to war and chaos. However, this is not just the battle that we are trying to fight these days. Our spiritual struggle as human beings has been going on since God has promised us of our salvation if we followed him. Learn more about this here.
The Bible and Prayer
If you had read the Bible, you might have noticed that in the Old Testament people can talk to God. People like Abraham and Moses had conversations with the Lord to know His commands. If the people followed, they were blessed with everything they needed.
On the other hand, if they disobeyed, then peril and destruction will follow. God does not want His people to be swayed by the devil, so he punishes those who forsake His commands. These commands, though, were passed in person and begging for forgiveness was done through repentance. Trying to talk to God was like screaming to the king, begging for mercy and kindness.
However, during the time of Jesus, He wanted people to pray in earnest. He said that people should pray in the sanctity of their homes. They should also follow the 3rd Commandment: following Sabbath day. It is the highest form of prayer, and the Kingdom of God will bless people who do this every week.
Jesus also taught His followers how to pray, thus conceiving one of the most famous passages of all time. However, He was also a proponent of personal prayers like the one He recited the night before Judas’ betrayal. It is the kind of devotion that He wanted people to do: inspire people into the faith. Read more about this here: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/3-passionate-prayers-jesus-prayed-to-god.html
We should ask first though: What is prayer? Well, in the Christian context, it is one of the ways we can connect to God. It is a personal message or a plea for something that we need or want. It might also be about anything else that we want to tell God. We can also ask for intercession from Mary, Mother of God, or the saints that have already risen to heaven.
However, one question remains: How do we make our own?
How Do We Make A Prayer?
In truth, there is no ideal format or recipe for prayer. As said previously, the highest form of worship is going to church. You need to attend the mass to feel the presence of God in your community. On the other hand, personal prayers can be fluid, and it depends on what you want to pray about. You can visit a prayer website to help you with your passages, but there are times when you want to pray. Here is a basic template on what should be in your prayer. According to Christian customs, it should have four parts:
Adoration
It is the part where you declare your love for God and His greatness. You may want to say that you love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Also, this is the portion that should always be the first part. However, you can always shuffle the elements as there is no wrong way of doing a prayer. As long as you are sincere with your words, God will know that and listen to you.
Confession
Sinning is a part of human life. As we are imperfect beings, we are prone to temptation and the gifts of the devil. Even if we want to trust God, our instincts follow what we want. In every prayer that we do, a confession of sins should always be present. It is the time when we can ask for forgiveness and pray that God will help you not sin again. The rules of God should always be in our minds, and if we forget, we always ask for forgiveness after telling the truth.
Thanksgiving
God always gives us blessings, and so we should be thankful for it. It is not just about the big rewards like winning the lottery or passing your exams. We should also say “thank you” to the simple things God has provided for us. For example, you are still alive and reading this article; that is something to be thankful for! These are the things that we tend to ignore usually, but these are very important in our lives. Our family, friends, and the food we eat and the lives we live every day should be a part of our prayer.
Supplication
It is the most common part because this part involves asking for something from God. We usually forget the first three parts, and that is not a good practice. Yes, we can always ask God for something, but we should also prepare for the consequences of this request. Also, we should not just be asking about our wants and needs. Prayers should involve the people around us and the whole world. Once we learn how to do this, we can have a better and more fulfilling life.
There are many people these days who believe that prayers are not sufficient. These should just be abandoned as a practice because nobody can feel its effects. However, as devout Christians, talking to God should be a part of our daily routine. Is there something wrong from asking forgiveness and saying thanks to the blessings that we received? We should never underestimate the power of prayer, as it can change our lives.
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