There are different kinds of prayer?

Praying is talking to and living with God.

Meaning it can take a lot of different shapes.

So, as we explore what it means to “pray without ceasing,” I thought it’d be a good idea to explore the different forms of prayer we see throughout Scripture and Church history.

Intercession, Petition, and Gratitude

Intercessory, Petitioning, and Gratitude prayers are three of the most common for many Jesus followers.

Intercession is when we pray on behalf of others. For example: God, please heal my sick friend.

Petitioning is when we pray for ourselves. For example: God, please help me do well with this job interview.

And Gratitude is where we express thankfulness to God. For example: God, thank you for healing my friend and helping me with that job interview.

Pretty straightforward, right?

But what about those that are less common?

Laments and Contemplations

I once heard it said that two-thirds of the Psalms (which is largely a collection of prayers) are laments.

These are prayers of sadness, hurt, or anguish - our way of expressing grief to God. 

Jesus prays a prayer of lament on the Cross, the prayer itself being a reference to Psalm 22v1:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Prayers of lament are noteworthy because of how raw and human they tend to be. They embrace the reality that life is difficult and painful and channel these facts into God’s loving arms.

These prayers remind us that we don’t need to put on a face with God. We can be real with Him. We can share our hurt with Him.

After all, He’s felt it, too.

Then there’s contemplative prayer, a personal favorite of mine.

Contemplative prayer is done in silence, in which we simply sit and turn our attention to God’s presence, transcending the need for words.

As we sit, we remember our dependence on God and let Him take the lead. Instead of sharing our grievances or praises, we remain before Him to see where He takes us.

In this process, the flesh empties and the Holy Spirit fills.

Of course, this is just a summary. More forms of prayer exist than these five and I encourage you to explore and learn more.

But it helps to know these as we prepare to go into our final part of the series tomorrow, seeing how we can incorporate such prayers into our work, eating, socializing, and more.

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

Theophilus Newsletter