Prayer can be defined many ways:......
Most catechisms define it as " .....an
act of entreating God for certain
requests that are important to the one
doing the praying...." Dwight D.
Eisenhower defined prayer as
"....as basic to the individual as sunshine,
food, and water..."
The best deffinition I have ever
encountered was a long one that truely
encumpassed all the deffinotions I had
ever heard was given by Virginia J.
Ruehlmann in the introduction of a
book of poems. It is as follows.
Prayer is a magnificent and generous gift
from the Father. It is also a
conversation, a relationship, a
communication with God, initiated by the
individual or group doing the praying.
Prayer can be......
Silent or audible,
spontanious or formal,
memorized or extemporaneous,
expressed privately or
with members of a family,
church or organization,
said or sung in a secluded location,
or walking down a crowded street.
while driving or riding in a car,
dining or drifting off to sleep.
Anytime anywhere is a place for prayer.
A prayer can be a form of adoration
or praise, an expression of love
and loyalty, appreciation and
thanksgiving, celebration or
consolation, a petition, a statement
of contrition a plea for forgiveness,
or a request for guidence.
Prayers can be simply or elaborately
stated. The important characteristics
include the qualities of humility,
fidelity, faith, trust, and sincerity.
Simple, direct, and honest suplications
are heard as clearly as laquacious
and embelished pontifications.
There are no boundries as to what to
pray for~ ~ ~One should feel free to
take everything to God in prayer. The
chalenge is not only in taking a
concern to Him but trusting in God's
answer and the timing of His response.
Prayer is the renewal and revitalization
of spirit and hope. It is of no
import to physicaly kneel in prayer
but rather to have one's spirit bow
in an attitude of respect.
One's payer life should be an ongoing
process, continuing to become ever
more meaningful, ever more helpful as
itprogresses tword the eternal goal.