Why We Pray

For seekers, it may be puzzling why Christians emphasize an active prayer life. Here are a few of the basics about prayer. For believers, prayer is direct access to God and is an essential part of both worship and a healthy believer's everyday life. God wants to have a relationship with each and every person in the world, including you dear reader. There are no exceptions as we are all God's children. Prayer allows us to cry out to the God of the universe, the creator of all, who is also a deeply personal God.

How do we pray, you ask? There are five basic elements of prayer: praise to God, thanksgiving for all God has done and continues to do in our lives, supplication--which is asking for God's help in our lives as we are small and God is not, and intercession--seeking God's help for ourselves and others.

Jesus taught us a simple prayer that features all of these elements and that we pray to this day. Give it a try if prayer is not a part of your life. It's a great place to start:

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one."

Give it a try. God loves you very much and wants to have a personal relationship with you, a relationship that will last forever.

When seeking a response from God, a great place to look for a general response to prayer is in the Bible, where God speaks to us all most clearly.

If you want to try more prayers, click on the title of this article and you will be taken to Sacred Spaces, where you can explore.

If you have more questions about prayer, and there is a great deal more to it than is possible to outline briefly here, and you live near Exton, stop by the church on Sunday and ask us personally why we pray and what it does for us. We welcome your questions.

God bless you.