What is Prayer?

Sometimes it is difficult to define what prayer is and to find ways to pray; at least this is true for this writer. The American Heritage® Dictionary defines prayer as

1. A reverent petition made to God, a god, or another object of worship.
2. The act of making a reverent petition to God, a god, or another object of worship.
3. An act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving: One evening a week, the family would join together in prayer.
4. A specially worded form used to address God, a god, or another object of worship.

That is fine but it does not say what constitutes a prayer and how to actually pray. Below are many examples of the forms prayer can take. Some may be familiar and others not so. Have a look at them. You may find one or several that can help you to pray and make prayer more meaningful for you.

(These prayer descriptions are from the Disciples Elders website at http://www.discipleselders.org/spiritualgrowth.html.)

Ways to Pray

Prayers of the People

Shepherding God, you care for us when we find ourselves in darkness, experiencing loss, or feeling misplaced.  You seek us out.  We give you thanks.

Cleansing God, we give you thanks that your forgiveness is ours as we offer up those things we would like to be rid of in our lives.  Thank you for the streams of mercy, which wash over us.

Saving God, you protect us.  Invite us as well to proclaim your love to all, that our lives might witness your love in this world.  Aid us that we might seek out justice and do acts of mercy.  Strengthen our relationship with you so that we might proclaim your love for all persons in our lives.

We pray for those with special needs this day, we pray especially for those who have suffered the results of hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes; we pray for all victims of war in Iraq and Afganistan; we pray for victims of violence in Sudan; we pray for all churches in Cuba, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Muslim Peacemaker Teams, victims of violence in Israel, and Palestine, and we pray for the refugees and the homeless of the world.  We lift up persons who need your healing love, who long for restoration and wholeness.  We pray for the victims of the tornados in Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, the victims of the snowstorms in China, and for Roberta, Dale, Don, Veda, Darci, Gladys, Millie,  Sarah, Faye, Crystal, Courtney, Danny, Ronni, Donna and Gary.

In the powerful name of Jesus the Christ we pray.  Amen.

Benedictions

Candle and Incense Prayers

Column Prayers

Covenant Prayers

Gathering Prayers

Imagery Prayers

Journaling Prayers

Laying on of Hands Prayers

Mission Prayers

Music Prayers

Ritual Prayers

Spirit Day Prayers

Prayers of Trust in God's Infinite Mercy

Call to Confession

Let us confess our sin,

trusting in God’s grace. 

Prayer of Confession

Forgive us, God, for seeking to limit your truth to what we can understand.

Forgive us for chasing after gods of our own making.  We are so busy with them that we forget to open ourseves to your larger reality.

We reduce the circles of connection and caring that Jesus demonstrated.

Goodness is crucified by our narrow prejudices, and our doubts plunge us into despair.

Be to us a refuge, granting us courage to face the questions that haunt us until they lead to deeper understanding..

Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news:

In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

we learn that God’s love has no bounds.

In Christ we are forgiven

and are empowered to begin anew.

Thanks be to God!

Body Prayers

Collect Prayers

Contemplation Prayers

Fasting Prayers

Gratitude Prayers

Intercession Prayers

Labyrinth Prayers

Lectio Divina Prayers

Moving Prayers

Resting Prayers

Scripture Prayers

Walking Prayers

THE LORD’S PRAYER and/or the “SPIRIT PRAYER”

Eternal Spirit,
Life Giver, Pain Bearer, Love Maker,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name
echo through the universe!
The way of your justice
be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever.  Amen.

Disciples Commissioning

Go forth in Christ's name to transform existence,
to bring consolation to the desperate,
hope to the hungry and homeless,
and reconciliation to a community and world divided.
And in Christ's name find a cause you can live for, a self you can live with, and a redeemer for whom you can die.

Amen.

Doug Dornhecker, former pastor at First Christian Church

Prayer of St. Francis 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

--attributed to Francis of Assisi, Italy, 13th century