Prayer; What, Why, Who & When

Allison Weeks
Aug 4
3 min read

Companion blog to DD Prayer with Belinda Dunn & Amber Davis, S25, E6

WHAT IS PRAYER?

"Prayer is keeping company with God, and we become like the One with whom we keep company," is a combination of quotes attributed to church father, Clement of Alexander and 20th century theologian, James Houston. It is also a simple and concise definition of prayer. When we pray, we are not talking to ourselves or engaging in mindless meditation. Prayer is not summoning a personal genie from a bottle, nor is prayer manifesting what we want into the universe. We are having a conversation with a Person. We are keeping company with our Creator, the God of the universe.

WHY PRAY?

Because Followers Follow

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus gives some pointers on what not to do in prayer. He does not say "if you pray, don't do this, this and this", but rather, He says, "When you pray," indicating that prayer is a given. He expects those who love God and who identify themselves with Him will practice regular times of prayer. Jesus also set for us an example of a life marked by constant communication with the Father through dedicated times of prayer.

Throughout the Gospel accounts we see Jesus praying all sorts of prayers in all sorts of situations. He often retreated alone to spend time in prayer (Luke 5:16), He prayed at meal times (Mark 8:6), in private with friends and in large public crowds (John 17:1-26 & Matthew 11:25-26), when performing miracles (John 11:41-42), and in the agony of His last hours before death (Luke 22:39-46 & Luke 23:34). Jesus' life was saturated with prayer and if we are to follow Him we must do as He has done (John 10:27, Luke 9:23).

For Provision & Protection

Prayer is a means for God to provide us with wisdom which not only helps us to follow Jesus' example, but also to protect us from trying to operate out of our own power. It is in prayer that we experience the comforting presence of God and receive the wisdom and power we need to follow Him faithfully. Through prayer, our Good Shepherd will lead us in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Without prayer, we are like a lost sheep who have wandered away into dangerous territory, out of the sound of the Shepherd's voice and more susceptible to other voices clamoring for our attention.

TO WHOM DO WE PRAY?

It matters who you address your prayers to. You can pray to the wrong god. As Christians, we pray to The Father, empowered by The Spirit, in the Name of The Son. Prayer is a conversation between me and the Triune God of the Bible, with each member of the 3-in-1 God participating fully in the conversation with me (Ephesians 2:18).

WHEN DO WE PRAY?

The scriptures are clear; prayer is for all times and all situations. Just like we would consult a trusted friend when facing hard decisions, or share our excitement over some great news, we should go to God to talk about everything in our lives. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Bible paints a picture of prayer being just as essential as breathing. We see commands for and examples of prayer in the morning, mid-day, and in the dark of night. God never sleeps and His presence permiates all of creation. That means there is never a time or a place He is not accessible to us in prayer (Psalm 121:4, Psalm 139:7-12).

For more on the topic of prayer, check out our Deep Dive into Prayer with Belinda Dunn and Amber Davis. We explore even more of the What, When, Who, Where & Why of prayer, including ideas to help strengthen your prayer life even in the midst of running a busy home.

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