by Geoff George Paxton

Created on: April 19, 2010   Last Updated: April 27, 2010

In the process of writing books on the topic, I have defined prayer as:

“Developing a relationship with the Lord so that I see others, and their needs, through his eyes.”

The Pharisees are the bad guys of the gospel. This is because their faith is dead; they are so caught up in the external appearances, and the encumbrances of the Law, that there is no space for a relationship with God. So when God, in the person of Jesus Christ, appears they cannot see him for who and what he is. Jesus called them hypocrites, and he was being polite.

Prayer that develops a relationship with the Lord is much more than just empty prayer of petition or intercession. When I develop a living relationship with the Lord, and I am asked to pray for a person in a situation, my perspective is different. I can quickly come into the Lord’s presence, and seek his face.

Perhaps the person has had a stroke. Do I pray for complete healing? Or is he / she going to die? That will affect the way I ask the Lord to intervene. It is not just about one person, the one who is sick, but all their concerned family and friends.

Most of us are presented with prayer lists whenever we enter a local church. Pharisees would know how to deal with them. They would read off the list in ten seconds flat, and move on to something else.

Basil Pennington writes: “If you dare to penetrate your own silence and dare to advance without fear into the solitude of your own heart, and seek the sharing of that solitude with the lonely other who seeks God through and with you, then you will truly receive the light and capacity to understand what is beyond words and beyond explanation because it is too close to be explained: it is the intimate union in the depths of your own heart, of God's spirit and your own secret inmost self, so that you and he are in truth One Spirit.”

One of the oldest forms of contemplative prayer was practiced by the early Eastern Orthodox Church, named hesychasm.  A word or a phrase is repeated rhythmically, ideally timed to one's breathing; perhaps just the name of Jesus, or the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner” or a verse of scripture. As you breathe be aware of ‘breathing in’ Jesus as you say his name on your in-breath. On your out-breath be aware of letting go, flushing out, anything that separates you from Jesus.

This brings one, with its regular use — practice makes perfect — into the presence of the Lord, and the ability to understand his thinking on people and issues (albeit only in part).

Then we can truly experience the power of prayer, as we know we are praying in line with the Lord’s will.

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