Day 52: HOW to pray

Now that we have determined what we must pray, we need to have a look at how we are to communicate these thoughts and desires. Some people suggest that our prayers must adhere to a form, while other people say that we must have freedom in our prayers to say whatever comes to mind as this is how we address people we know; we don't prepare a speech before we go talk to a friend, so why should we have to with God.

The problem with such suggestions is that if we go to the extreme of either of them we are putting ourselves in a dangerous position of jeopardising our prayer life. Instead, we must find a balance between freedom and form without our prayers; the key is variety. 


On the one hand there is credit in believing that we need to have freedom in our prayers. God has revealed Himself to us in ways that invite us to speak to Him on an informal level.

Jesus Himself said: No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you (John 15:15).

God has revealed an intimate concern for us and thus it is appropriate that we talk to Him in an informal, spontaneous manner. Informal prayers may also work to enhance our personal relationship with Him. Without the formal language of traditional prayers, there is not literal barrier between us and God.

On the other hand, however, some people will argue that by having the formality in prayer (e.g. using thees and thous) we instil a sense of awe and respect for the Almighty God. God, as our Creator and Redeemer deserves to be treated with the highest respect. If this means that we have to prepare our prayers, for otherwise we blunder and tirelessly repeat ourselves, than by all means, we must do so.

God is HOLY.

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of His glory. (Isaiah 6:3)

God is our friend but He is also our KING. We need to make the distinction that although God is our friend, He is not like our mates down the road. We cannot bring Him down to our level of understanding. He is great and greatly to be praised!

However, if we use rehearsed or traditional prayers, we still need to make them our own. If we fail to do this, then our prayers are still vain repetition; we are just praying words and they have no meaning with regard to our personal situation. We can draw upon the many prayers within the psalms. They all reflect many different types of emotions and situation also applicable to our day and age.

Don't be satisfied to simply repeat the words someone else has already written. Rather, find the balance between having your own personal freedom in prayer where you can pour out your heart before God, and yet, remember that using forms in prayer is a valuable gift in helping us to maintain focus and balance in our prayers.

The model prayer that Jesus gave on the sermon on the mount is a prayer we must all make our own. Be able to do more than pray the words; make the words applicable to you and your situation; may the words come from your mouth and heart.

Our Father, who art in heaven, 

Hallowed by your name,

Your kingdom come, 

Your will be done, 

On earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread,

and lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from the evil one,

For Yours is the kingdom, 

the power,

and the glory, 

forever. 

Amen.