A question about prayer

[JeshuaB]

Hello everyone I would like to ask a question.

Today after presenting a devotional for a executive meeting in which I am the Chaplin. I was told that I should not repeat God's name over and over again while praying( something along these lines ). The person also told me that it is written in the Spirit of Prophecy, where is this and can you provide it for me to see?

When I cry out to God and plead with him during my own personal prayers, I usually call his name repeatedly, it is him I am praying to and I feel connected to him when I call on his name during prayer. I don't do it out of irreverence, it's part of my normal worship to God. Am I wrong for repeating God's name repeatedly during prayer?

[M. T. Cross]

I can't see why you shouldn't....

[Gerr]

In private prayer while one is pouring out one's heart to God, I personally don't see any problem using God's name repeatedly. But in public prayer, it is personally annoying to me to hear someone punctuating every phrase or sentence with the divine name.

[JeshuaB]

Thanks for your honesty Gerry Cabalo :)

[BobRyan]

In private prayer while one is pouring out one's heart to God, I personally don't see any problem using God's name repeatedly. But in public prayer, it is personally annoying to me to hear someone punctuating every phrase or sentence with the divine name.

There are a number of prayers written out in the Bible - why not follow those models rather than insert "Father God" in the middle and at the end of each sentence?

in Christ,

Bob

[M. T. Cross]

Modelled prayers seem really impersonal, like doing something by writ rather than from the heart....

[Dr. Rich]

J, first of all, none of us know the real name of God so that is why we just call Him God or Lord. The 'burning bush' said to call Him "I AM" because, probably, that explains it all.

Second, I would agree with those who believe saying "Lord" or "God" all the time in a prayer is somewhat distracting from the prayer itself. God knows what your are going to pray for from the beginning, so calling out what you believe is His name all the time is like saying "you know" or "aaaaa" when speaking.

Many do this because they use this to cover-up their thinking of what they really want to say. It is really a speach problem, not a prayer problem.

Personally, I enjoy a very short public prayer and to the point--that's it. I do the same with a cell phone call-keep it short and to the point.

But my personal prayers may last from the time I hit the bed to when I fall asleep--as most of the time I 'listen' (I call it that) to what I hear in my head for an answer to a question. Of course these prayers are silent so my wife can sleep.

Try making a simply outline for your public prayer and attempt to keep it within those lines. This is what I have done and it seems to help a lot. One should not make a sermon out of a prayer.

[SivartM]

Modelled prayers seem really impersonal, like doing something by writ rather than from the heart....

Modeling prayers seems a bit too much like homework, but praying a deep and poetic prayer such as St. Patrick's Breastplate can be as meaningful to me as anything I make up in my head.

[Woody]

Modelled prayers seem really impersonal, like doing something by writ rather than from the heart....

I would agree with you EmptyCross.

I also would add - Prayers that are READ. Goodness - if one can't either memorize a prayer or ad lib it - we are not giving much respect and thought to our prayer.

[SivartM]

I like reading prayers. It's like reading any poetry, but to God. Surely people still read poetry to each other?

[Gail]

Prayer is a few things, but talking to God is one of those. When you talk to your friend, do you say his name over and over again?

Prayer is heart communication, too. If you are reading it and you haven't taken it to heart so that you can pray intelligently (like, if you didn't write that prayer yourself), then that is not really a communication but a more of a recital, isn't it?

[Woody]

I like reading prayers. It's like reading any poetry, but to God. Surely people still read poetry to each other?

Do you ask people to bow their heads and close their eyes during your poems?

Honestly - I suppose it's a generational aspect. I am rather old fashioned in this area - I confess. And I am confident that it is only personal preference and does not impact God. God is too busy looking at our hearts.

[SivartM]

Originally Posted By: SivartM

I like reading prayers. It's like reading any poetry, but to God. Surely people still read poetry to each other?

Do you ask people to bow their heads and close their eyes during your poems?

Honestly - I suppose it's a generational aspect. I am rather old fashioned in this area - I confess. And I am confident that it is only personal preference and does not impact God. God is too busy looking at our hearts.

I think reading prayers just helps me to engage my mind and heart better. I'm not much of a conversationalist and I have a fairly short attention span, so if I'm ad-libbing I'll usually get bored easily, but taking the time to savor a poetic prayer makes me both think about the words and feel closer to God.

[Woody]