Prayer

God is the Creator of all that is. He made everything from nothing (Gen. 1). He has many names; He called Himself "I Am" in Exodus. He also called Himself "Jealous" later in Exodus (34:14). In John 15:15 He called Himself our friend! How do you pray to someone like this?

When I think of all He has done for me, I tremble with absolute fear, and awe! I want to sing, to shout! This is not prayer, though, how do you pray, go before Him and petition for anything? He has the power and authority, but is He approachable?

I heard a story once that tells of a man who had a similar problem for many years. A friend told him that God had promised many times throughout the Bible that He would be with us, all he would have to do is just talk to Him. The friend told him to use a chair. Place the chair in front of him and imagine Jesus sitting in that chair and just talk to Him! The man tried this and found it to be a lot easier than he thought. He liked it so much he continued it for many years. The day he died, his daughter went in to check on him and found he had died, but not until he had laid his head in the chair next to his bed! In the mind of the man, he had lain his head in the lap of his best friend, and passed away there.

I have spoken with others who have read and prayed much. They came to a point in their Christian growth that prayer was stagnant and meant nothing to them; they were doing nothing more than reciting to God. Different things began to happen to them that brought them to their knees in remembrance of just who God really is. This thought caused them to do more than recite, it made them stop and really look at themselves as petitioners rather than talkers( A person who tends to do more talking than listening.). They came to a point in their prayer lives that nothing less than being on their knees was good enough for prayer. They had come to an understanding that God was so great, so awesome; and that prayer was being in His presence so being on ones knees was the only way for them to pray.

Should we pray on our knees? Is it alright to stand and speak to God as though He were a close friend? In Jeremiah 33:3 we are told to call on Him and He will answer. In Luke 11:10 we are told if we seek, we'll find; if we ask, it will be given; and if we knock the door will be opened. In Jeremiah 29 we will be able to find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts! I am convinced that it is not the position of our bodies that is in question, but our hearts! He has always wanted a relationship with us; a personal relationship. This cannot be done without some kind of communication: PRAYER! If you do this on your knees, do so with all your heart! If you choose to use a chair and imagine Him sitting there as a close friend, again, do so with all your heart, but talk to Him! Listen to Him! Seek Him!