"Pray all the time," says St Paul (1 Thessalonians 5.17). I don't think he means do that activity we call “prayer” all the time. I think he means make your life a prayer. But to do that, we probably need focused moments of prayer. Over time – like a fine wine maturing in the barrel, or an onion being pickled in vinegar – we are slowly changed. We become prayerful.A love letter from GodThe whole Christian story of the birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ could be summed up as a “love letter from God”.In Jesus, God declares his love for us. What we call prayer, those stumbling, faltering words that we use to speak to God, is simply our response.In other words, prayer can become like breathing. And it needs to be regular like eating. But it is most like loving. And it is most like loving because it is, at heart, a relationship.This is the most basic truth about prayer. Prayer is relationship with God; it is the relationship we are made for. Like all relationships it is not easy to describe. I know what it feels like to be in love. But it is hard to define it. Put together all the most beautiful love poems in the world and they are as nothing compared with a few moments of love itself.Being a Christian is like a love affair. In Jesus we see how God gives himself to us in love. “As the Father has loved me,” says Jesus, “so I have loved you.” (John 15.9)Prayer is an act of love and a participation in the life of love. In Jesus, God declares his love for us. In prayer we come into communion with God to express our love to him.So prayer can happen everywhere and anywhere. It’s not just something that happens in a church or other special place. Neither does it depend on special times – although we probably still need those special times to nurture the relationship.
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Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, says: "There is no right way of praying. There are just the ways that are right for you. But there is also the great heritage of praying that we can learn from and explore."It's the simplest thing in the world yet it can seem so difficult. It's as natural as breathing, yet it's hard to find the right words. Just how do you learn to pray?A short reflection series considered ten basic questions about prayer and offers simple helps for making prayer a part of everyday life.These include: What prayer is: When and where to pray; Whether words are always needed; What to do when prayer seems impossible; Praying alone and with others.No-one ever becomes an expert in prayer but this series sets out to help you become more open to God's presence, which is the heart of prayer. It draws on the wisdom of Christians across the ages and offers a selection of easily-memorised favourite prayers to encourage you as you journey into prayer.You can join this programme by going to BBC Radio 4's Daily Service, from Monday to Friday, April 19th to April 30th.You can find out more online at www.churchofengland.org You can always turn to the prayer for the day posted on this website if you need daily help.
