PRAYER AS A MEANS OF COMMUNICATING WITH GOD

PRAYER AS A MEANS OF COMMUNICATING WITH GOD

You cannot maintain a good relationship in the community and church without first maintaining a good relationship with God. It is very important that human beings know about the existence of a supreme God with whom they must live peacefully. We need to strengthen our relationship with Him, spiritually, through prayers and listening to Him. We can offer short or long prayers for ourselves or others. Our relationship with God must go on in a friendly manner.

When you are speaking to a friend, you are conversing or holding a conversation. Prayer is conversing or having a conversation with God. Through prayer, we praise and exalt God, beg Him for forgiveness of our sins, thank Him for all He has done for us, and ask Him all that we need. Prayer is the main way in which we develop a relationship with God.

The Reasons why We Pray

There various reasons why people pray, but most times, we pray in order to:

  1. Get the power to do what we cannot do on our own e.g. overcome temptation.
  2. Praise God and worship Him.
  3. Confess our sins to Him and beg for forgiveness.
  4. Thank God for His blessings and mercies upon our lives.
  5. Show our dependence on God, confirming that He alone can do everything for us.
  6. Ask for God’s help and guidance.
  7. Obey Jesus and follow His example. Jesus prayed and he asked and taught us to pray (Mark 1:35; Matthew 6:6-7; Matthew 7:7-8).

Importance of Prayer

There are many things that prayer does for us:

i. It makes us develop a relationship with God, because by it we enter into communication with Him. As He answers our prayers, our relationship with Him grows.

ii. It assures us that we are children of God, and that God loves us.

iii. It gives us peace of mind and refreshes our soul. It also satisfies our hunger and quenches our thirst for God.

iv. It changes situations for us by removing difficulties on our ways, and so increases our faith in God.

v. It makes us remember God’s goodness to us, especially when we thank Him for the provision of our daily needs – foods, shelter, health, etc.

The Model Prayer (The Lord’s Prayer)

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, Jesus gave them a model prayer. According to Matthew 6:9-13.

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Notice the different part of the prayer:

i. Worship (i.e. adoration and thanksgiving): Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

ii. Supplication (i.e. asking for help): Give us this day our daily bread.

iii. Confession: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

The Apostles’ Creed

The Apostles’ Creed is a short summary and public declaration of all that the Bible teaches and what Christians believe about the Christian faith; about God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit.

The Apostles’ Creed declares that:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

Meaning and importance of the Apostles’ Creed

  1. The word “Creed” comes from the Latin word credo, which means ‘I believe’. A creed is a rule of faith, a declaration of Christian belief.
  2. The Apostles’ Creed was not written by the original Apostles. All Christian denominations accept its statement as the faith of the Christian Church.
  3. Many Churches repeat it every Sunday during service.
  4. The Apostles’ Creed is important and necessary because Christianity is to be passed from one person to another and from generation to generation, so that others may share in it. Therefore, there must be a clearly defined statement of the Christian belief so that what is passed on is pure, undiluted and the same everywhere and anytime.

Evaluation:

  1. What are five reasons why you need to pray?
  2. What is the best way to maintain a good relationship with God?