WHAT IS PRAYER
Prayer like breathing or walking is an inevitable component of our life wherein we commune with God and enjoy the fellowship He offers as we adore, thank and praise Him for his unending mercies. It is essentially the time we spend conscious of being in the presence of God, and of being aware of our own weaknesses and craving to know and love Him more each moment in time. Though prayer can be offered in different forms, the underlying principle is to acknowledge the majestic power of the Almighty and to be strengthened in our faith journey as our praise and prayer requests are made known to Him. The moment we realize that God desires to be our companion and that we could call upon Him anytime, anywhere, and on any occasion, then it would be easy for us to move ahead during the most trying periods of our lives.
Beginning a day with prayer and closing the day’s efforts with prayer are seen as potent occasions for correcting one’s errors, shortcomings, and shortsightedness, and for meditating on the wonderful ways through which the Lord led us through out the day.
If prayer is looked upon as talking to one’s best friend then inhibition to open up can be curbed, with the result that, we learn to take stressful situations with a calmness of mind and spirit. Therefore, prayer is many things, including peace, security, fellowship, guidance, worship and love. In fact, Jeremiah 33:3 states, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” God wants us to call on Him so that He can answer our prayers. He also wants to share with us incredible blessings that we might otherwise have missed if we had not reached out to Him through prayer. And finally, James 4:8 tells us to “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” God wants us to be close to Him at all times. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 9:1, “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. The Bible repeatedly says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus”. As we move ahead as a worshipping community, may God enable each one of us to use prayer as a potent weapon to discern the will of God in our lives and to use it as an occasion to bring the needs of those around us to the throne of Grace.
Do pray for & participate in the upcoming programs.
- Diocesan Episcopal Visit: November 12th & 13th 2011
- First communion service: November 13, 2011
- Thanks Giving service: November 20, 2011
- House to House caroling: PG-A December 10, PG-B December 3 and PG-C December 4-2011
- Christmas Carol service: December 17, 2011
- Watch Night Service: December 31, 2011
Yours Sincerely,
Alex Mathew