May 17, 2018

Aguilar, Jeanne Lavin M.

1st yr Law, 1S

Seminar 2

Importance and Relevance of Prayer into our life As Christians, as Filipino and as Humans

Prayer is an opportunity for us to spend time with God. It is a time when we

communicate with God. Our prayers are fighting against spiritual battles that linger in dark
places. Prayer changes us. When we spend time with God, He is working to change our heart to
be more like His. The more time we spend with Him, the more we are like Him. Our habits and
lifestyles change. We no longer live a self-centered life, but one that is focused on others with a
pure and sincere heart. Prayer changes us inside out. Sometimes you need a message from God
and you need to be solely focused on Him to get it. It may be painful during the prayer and
waiting process but once you receive it you will be so happy you sought Him.

Prayer is a means of communication through silence or express words, through

formulated prayers like Novenas, or personal ones like meditations. Through prayer, we lift
ourselves to His presence, to find time to thank Him for the blessings we have received, for the
prayers that were answered, and for the moments we never asked but received. Through prayer,
we express our gratitude and humility, that we would not have been who we are today if it were
not for His continuous guidance we experience and encounter.

Through prayer, we also begin to talk to ask Him for reasons our hearts could not
decipher at situations we dread. We ask him questions as how Jesus asked Him, “why?” at the
cross, when He felt alone and abandoned. We long for answers that the questions make our soul
wonder.
 Through prayer, we sincerely apologize for the shortcomings that we had; for those times
that we have wandered off the path He made for us. Through praying, we find solace in our hope
for His forgiveness, and draw strength from the relief of confession and reconciliation.

Through prayer, we become humble, meek and lowly before Him. Because it is through
prayer that we acquire the privilege to talk to our Maker, despite being unworthy because of our
sins, and ways. We seek and listen to what He wants us to be in response to our call to Him.
Through prayer, we strip our soul and hearts naked, revealing our deepest pleas and wants. We
call to Him, to find solace in Him; to affirm our faith and unending love for Him.

As Christians, there are however, several importance why we should pray. Accordingly,
because of the importance it is given in the Word of God; because of the teaching of our Lord; it
is the first instinct of the new life; it is the Christian’s vital breath; it is such a glorious privilege
to pray; because of all it can accomplish in supplying every need; because only through prayer
can God’s will be accomplished.

Furthermore, it is a key vehicle to building my love relationship with Jesus Christ. prayer
is an important instrument in our overcoming sin and temptation. Perhaps no experience in the
earthly life of Christ is more instructive on prayer than Jesus’ teaching and subsequent modeling
in the twenty-second chapter of Luke. The fact that his disciples were patently oblivious only
shows us our same frailty today. we pray because prayer is crucial in determining God’s will.
prayer is a major way we accomplish God’s work in the world.

To pray is that prayer is a major weapon in fighting the spiritual battle. Ephesians six,
verses ten to twenty, outlines some of the armaments in the arsenal of God. We are reminded that
ultimately our struggles are not against humans, but against powerful spiritual beings and forces
in the “heavenly places”. It is the necessary prerequisite to sweeping spiritual awakening. As we
pray, we experience change which revives us. Then we become the seeds of revival to change
those around us. God views prayer standing alone with an incomprehensible value. He chose it
because in virtually all of the other disciplines there are so many differences among humans in
gifting, strengths, energy, etc. But in prayer, we all, regardless of our differences, have equal
access to Him and equal love and grace and power from Him at our disposal.
 And lastly, as a Filipino, prayer has been an instilled practice from the time we were
colonized by the Spaniards. We have been taught to pray by our parents, teachers, and the
Church. It is a Filipino value that we take good care of to pass to the next generations.

Praying to God is a behavior that is very much a part of our day to day experiences. Our
parents often remind us to say our prayers upon waking up and before going to bed. Upon
waking up, we thank God for the brand new day; and before going to bed, we say thank you for
the day that was done. Whenever we pray, we are actually relating with God. We are
communicating with him.

References:

1. Cru.org. (2018). Seven Reasons to Pray | Cru. [online] Available at:

https://www.cru.org/us/en/blog/spiritual-growth/prayer/seven-reasons-to-pray.html
2. The Confident Mom. (2018). The Importance of Prayer - The Confident Mom. [online] Available
at: https://theconfidentmom.com/05/faith-and-family/the-importance-of-prayer/
3. The-philippines.info. (2018). Filipino faith as a Catholic. [online] Available at: https://www.the-
philippines.info/filipino-faith.php [Accessed 21 May 2018].