FOOD FOR THE SOUL PRAYER: POSITION OR DISPOSITION (Part II) PRAYER: Prayer is the main component of this topic; the other two components are both used only in reference to it. But what is prayer? The word prayer is from the Middle English word preiere, the Old French word priere, or proiere, the Medieval Latin word precaria, feminine of the Latin precarious (“obtained by entreaty”), from precor 9beg, entreat), and the Greek word euchesthia (to plead, to beg, to ask earnestly). Prayer is a practice of communicating with one’s God. Through prayers we ask God’s blessings. Prayer is a petition, a request. According to the Catholic encyclopedia, prayer is: “An act of the virtue of religion which consists in asking proper gifts or graces from God. In a more general sense it is the application of the mind to Divine things, not merely to acquire knowledge of them but to make use of such knowledge as a means of union with God. This may be done by acts of praise and thanksgiving, but petition is the principal act of prayer. “…it is the expression of our desires to God whether for ourselves or others. This expression is not intended to instruct or direct God on what to do, but to appeal to His goodness for the things we need; and the appeal is necessary, not because He is ignorant of our needs or sentiments, but to give definite form to our desires, to concentrate our whole attention to Him, to help us appreciate our close personal relation with Him. The expression need not be external or vocal; internal or mental is sufficient. “By prayer we acknowledge God’s power and goodness (not our own), our own neediness and dependence (not God’s). It is therefore an act of the virtue of religion implying the deepest reverence for God and habituating us to look to Him for everything, not merely because the thing asked be good in itself, or advantageous to us, but chiefly because we wish it as a gift of God, and not otherwise, no matter how good or desirable it may seem to us. Prayer presupposes faith in God and hope in His goodness.” POSITION: Position implied in this discussion is the physical posture a person assumes/takes when praying. Some of these positions are standing, kneeling, lying face-down on the ground, standing or kneeling with hands upraised, etc. #See you on the morrow for the Part III# --------JESUSorNOTHING#
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:33:19 +0000
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