Prayer
Every human being was created in order to have a relationship with God. People of all faiths seek this relationship – and prayer is one of its most important aspects from the human point of view.
In prayer, we can:
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open our hearts and lives to God;
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thank God for the blessings we receive each day, including the relationship God gives us with himself;
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confess the wrong things we have done and, knowing God’s forgiveness, reject evil and turn back to him;
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wait upon God, seeking to know and do his will;
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share our worries, hopes and fears with God, asking him to help us.
Christians believe that Jesus, God’s own Son, came to earth in human form and showed us what God is like. Many Christian people therefore find it helpful to concentrate their minds on Jesus as they pray, and to speak to God in prayer just as they would to another human being. Christians also believe that God gives us his Holy Spirit to help us pray.
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Source: The Church in Wales
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How do I pray?
It’s important to remember that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to pray. Different individuals pray in different ways. Christians believe that God never leaves us or ignores us. We can therefore pray in the confidence that God really does want us to be in a conscious relationship with him.
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The two golden rules are:
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to pray as you can and not as you can’t, and
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to pray every day
When praying about life’s problems and challenges, some people will simply say what is on their mind (God’s love is so great that our angers and fears can be heard as well as our praise, thanks and requests) and ask for God’s presence and guidance. Others prefer to use prayers that have been written by others and used by the Church through the ages. Yet others find themselves drawn to more meditative or contemplative ways of prayer.
In the Gospels, Jesus’ followers ask him to teach them how to pray. In reply, he gives them the prayer we now know as the Lord’s Prayer.
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the Glory,
for ever and ever. Amen
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Because Jesus himself has given it to us, Christians regard this prayer as especially important. We use it every day in our private prayers and at most church services.
If you are interested in learning more about prayer,
or if you would like someone to pray with/for you, please get in touch.​