As Christians, we are frequently asked what our standard prayer is when we are in the Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are also expected to pray for others and for the fulfillment of every prayer. So what is it that we are really praying for? In this article we will explore some answers to that question.
The first answer that we provide to this question relates to our being organized prayer. Prayers are individual prayers that are offered to God alone. Prayers are a direct appeal to God regarding specific requests or needs. When we pray for others, we are really petitioning for their welfare or lives. In the broader sense, the word prays means an act or instance of intercession or supplication directed towards an object or person of divine worship.
When we pray for others, we are really requesting their intercession on our behalf or salvation from sin or their undeserved suffering. When we pray for others, we are requesting their life in God. As such, our individual prayer request for the Lord contains specific elements - the name of the person praying (including the full name of the person if different), the desire or prayer for someone and a brief description of what the prayer request is about.
These elements are all important and should be utilized when praying for someone else. But remember that the prayer request does not have to be written or spoken - it can be an oral prayer (as in a Thanksgiving or Christmas prayer) or an expression of emotion (such as a prayer for the lost or healing). Prayer requests should always be sincere, just as we would wish good luck for others.
In addition to these elements, there is also the more subtle element of ritual. Prayers are not given for no reason in particular - we do receive prayer requests but because of circumstances in our lives. For example, I may wish to pray for a specific illness in my family. A few weeks ago, my daughter-in-law was ill and we made a phone call to say prayers for her recovery. She did recover. But in doing so, we had to carry a bag of food and items with her everywhere she went for two days.
Sometimes, prayer requests are made to have a specific effect - such as requesting for the success of a mission or for someone to come back from a far-off place where they had suffered abuse. In these cases, it is appropriate to express this desire formally (either through writing or spoken prayer) to a clergy person or pastor. But again, such overtures are not necessary - it is enough to say a simple prayer requesting for the desired goal to manifest in your life.
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