30 Days On The Mount

Any mindless activity that does not engage the heart and spirit of the worshiper is equated with the empty practices of pagan prayer. Praying through prescribed regimens, lists, the written prayers of others as well as the prayers found in the Bible can be helpful only if the one praying realizes that they are in a conversation with a living, compassionate God. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His wil l, He hears us.” (1 Jn 5:14) It is implied in this passag e from Jesus’ teaching that there is a place for silence in the Lord’s presence. “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” (Ps 62:5 NKJV) Prayer and communion with God can take place in the sanctuary of our conscience without spoken words; this side of prayer concentrates on waiting and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us in impressions, thoughts and verses of Scripture. When Mother Theresa was ask ed; “When you pray, what do you say to God?” …” I don’t say anything”…she replied. When a Christian prays in an “unknown language,” the Scriptures tell us that we are “talking only to God… speaking by the power of the Spirit” and that we are being “st rengthened personally…” (1 Cor 14:2,4) God is divinely bypassing our natural understanding that we may pray in perfect harmony with the Holy Spirit. These words will be heard by our Father in heaven, the person engaged in such prayer is not babbling.

11 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

118