The power of prayer

Yesterday we looked at the model for prayer offered by David in Psalm 3 as part of our look up series. It reminded me of a book I read earlier this year about the models of prayer offered by figures in the Bible and how it compares with the way we're taught to pray now.

Prayer should be a worshipful, reverent experience, but sometimes I wonder if we put too much emphasis, culturally, on the way people pray. I think Israel really touched on that yesterday. When I was reading this book on prayer earlier this year I was struck by what it said about the depictions of prophets, key Biblical figures, and even Jesus when they prayed in the Bible.

Often, now, we think about bowing our head, closing our eyes, and praying quietly to the Lord. While those are all signs of respect and may fit the desire of some when they pray, that isn't the only way to pray. Often people in the Bible looked up, they cried out to the Lord, and they were very demonstrative in their prayers. We don't think about that a lot nowadays, but maybe we should.

Obviously in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus warns against praying for show, which would be praying in a way to draw attention to yourself for personal gain. So if you're shouting to the heavens for the benefit of those within earshot, you should check yourself. But in moments of confusion, despair, anger, excitement, and joy, sometimes it makes sense to express yourself fully to God. He knows your heart whether you express it or not. After all, the song says "Shout to the Lord," not quietly whisper concerns to the Lord.

These thoughts have changed the way I've thought about prayer. Hopefully it will do the same for you.