What is prayer?

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?..." Isaiah 40:26

Couple weeks back was preparing a bible study session on the Lord's Prayer, and it really amazes me how God can speak to me in my daily devotion! When i was about to prepare for that lesson, the topic for my QT for the next few weeks to come was on the Lord's prayer!

And just by reading the Lord's prayer alone, it teaches us so much on what prayer is! Its not just something to recite, but it is use as an outline from which you must work your way when praying, no matter what you are praying about, then you will experience a growing confidence that you are praying the way Jesus taught.

Before we can pray effectively, we must first be convinced who God is (our Heavenly Father) and where God is(who art in heaven).

Thus, doesn't this reveal at once a fatal weakness when we pray? We usually come into God's presence, and instead of focusing our gaze upon Him, we focus it on our problems and our difficulties. Perhaps this is the reason why, when praying we frequently end up more depressed or more frustrated than when we began? This is perhaps one of the greatest lessons we can learn about prayer- the initial FOCUS MUST BE UPON GOD!
(adapted from Swelyn hughes,everyday with Jesus)

And to add to how God always never fails to surprise me! Was also reading a book on prayer by Philip Yancey, and his words on prayer was so similar to what God is revealing in my quiet time! ... "To begin, I need to think more about God than about myself when i am praying. Even the Lord's Prayer centres first in what God wants from us. 'Hallowed by your name, your kingdom come,your will be done' - God wants us to desire these things, to orient our lives around them" And at the end of the day, prayer comes back to our relationship with our Heavenly Father each day! =)