God is Great, God is Good, Let us Thank Him For the Food...

I feel that our prayers have often resorted to something similar to this. We have broken prayer down into these strange points... Now I think there is nothing wrong with this, but I don't think that prayer was ever meant to be something you do in a four step process. I honestly believe that we have formalized prayer a bit too much in our attempt to understand it. Now I want to make this clear, I am not saying there is anything wrong with having a guide, formality, or system in prayer. But I am saying, through these things we have lost the true heart of prayer.

The word pray means something rather interesting. Our transliteration (The English spelling of the Greek word) makes it this, proseuchomai. Now to me, this word makes no sense haha... I am no Greek scholar, nor do I claim to be... But anyone can use a dictionary and figure out what a word means in their own language. And this word proseuchomai is actually two words. Pros (not pros as professional, there is a little dot over the o that I don't know how to type) and Euchomai. Now these two words put together is what we translate pray. Haha, but I think that the meaning in Greek gives a different idea than that of English.

According to Merriam Webster the word pray means this...

transitive verb

1 : entreat, implore —often used as a function word in introducing a question, request, or plea <pray be careful>

2 : to get or bring by praying

intransitive verb

1 : to make a request in a humble manner

2 : to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving

Now the last definition sounds nice, and is an aspect of prayer... But none of these meanings fit what I get from the Greek. So you may be wondering... What is the Greek then!? He he he... Wouldn't you like to know... But my post would be pointless without this so I guess I will tell you...

The word Pros, is a preposition. It means towards, and it implies an exchange. Its kinda confusing but it means to move towards a goal with implied interaction. He was slowly creeping toward the ball. When you read that typically you would think he was going to do something with the ball. The Greek word has the same idea. Or the idea of, He was handing the apple towards her. It has the idea of exchanging or interacting with something.

The word Euchomai means to wish. It is literally like Oh I Euchomai that I could get that car! It is wishing for something, hoping for something.

So this Greek word, being two words put together would have the idea of Exchanging Wishes. Or in my definition, trading desires, swapping dreams, or other things like that. It is the idea of telling one person what you want, and they telling you what they want. Or two people talking about what they want, hope for, and other things.

So where is my point... Well about to get to that, after a word from... No...

The word for prayer in Greek is so much more than what we do... We so often when we pray go through a mental list of prayer requests and after we have finished them we open our eyes agree with ourselves (the word Amen means So Be It, or I agree) and head out... Where is the Exchange???? Prayer is an exchange with God. A interaction towards Him. It is so much more than us telling Him what we want. But it involves an exchange.

So what am I suggesting?

Quite simple, evaluate your prayer life... Is it an exchange between you and Him? Are you listening for the things that He wishes for? Or is your prayer time a conversation with Santa Claus, where you tell him all you want for Christmas, take a picture, and leave?

Don't let your prayer life become impersonal. God wants to have an exchange with you. He wants real communication. He wants to answer you back but we so often finish "prayer" and don't think about Him the rest of the day. Instead I challenge you, to talk to God like you would your best friend... Talk to Him as if He were (well He is) right next to you... Say something to Him, ask Him questions, listen / look for answers... Make your prayers personal with Him thats what He really wants, a relationship with you. A chance to talk to you. So please, have a conversation with God, an Exchange... Conversations go two ways, otherwise they are a speech. So yeah... Personal... He is your best friend, talk to Him like that... hehe...