The Talmud suggests that the definition of Man is “the creature who prays”. This idea sets the stage for understanding what prayer really is. Prayer is the defining characteristic of what it means to be human. In other words, to be truly human is to be in communication with the Creator. Men and women who do not pray have truncated their existence as human beings by excluding the distinguishing characteristic of humanity. They have elected to live closer to the animals than to the angels. Man was designed to be fully human only when he is communicating with his Creator. Therefore, prayer is our way of becoming what we were intended most to be – communicators with the divine.
Because prayer is the process by which we most engage in our humanity, prayer extends to every part of human life. To be created “a little less than angels” means to be able to speak with God about every human experience, from the most mundane to the nearly divine. There is no element of human becoming that lies outside the scope of prayer.
Prayer is intimately connected with what is most deeply human. Consequently, it is best expressed in those aspects of human life that speak our humanity with the greatest clarity. Emotions, reflection, reason, dialogue, debate, decision, recollection, hope, anticipation, expectation – all human ways of being are found within the expression of prayer.
The Hebrew word for prayer is connected to the idea of discerning, clarifying and deciding. Prayer, as the deepest expression of humanity, is directly connected to choice and discerning, clarifying and deciding are the essential elements of choice. In this respect, prayer is the longing of the deepest part of Man to be aligned with the thoughts and will of the Creator. Prayer is the expression of my personal desire to find my purpose within the purpose of the One who created me. Prayer is communicating my need to express in my being choices that reflect the character of my Maker. When I pray, I acknowledge my insufficiency for self-determination. I request the Creator’s explanation of my being in order that my choices will be in harmony with His choices.
Prayer is also connected with my physical existence. Because prayer is soul-breathing, it empowers the human need for destiny and purpose. Prayer implies that my true humanity is not to be found in what I make of my life but rather in how my life reflects what my Creator has made in me. In this sense, prayer is the oxygen of the soul, enabling my uniqueness to find its eternal symbiosis with the higher purposes of my Creator. Prayer is the nourishment of the soul. Without it, no soul life can flourish.
Prayer is ultimately self-reflexive. I do not pray in order to appease my Maker. He already loves what He has created. I do not pray in order to pry His good gifts from His hand. He already cares for me. Prayer is self-reflexive because it is really for me. It is human communication with the specific purpose of bringing about a change in perception on my side of the dialogue. Prayer is the means by which God adjusts my thinking. Prayer expresses to God my desire to allow Him free access to my way of living in order that he may correct my thoughts and deeds to better fit His purposes. The purpose of prayer is to bring me into alignment with God, not to get God to line up with me.
Prayer is essentially personal. While there are public occasions for prayer, the foundation of prayer is personal communication with my personal Creator. Prayer is intimate dialogue because it engages every part of who I am as human and explores this humanity with the Creator God. Prayer is the process by which God opens my life to deeper understanding of my humanity, my destiny and my harmony with Him. I may discover this through intercession for others, through supplication for myself or through praise for God Himself, but in all cases prayer is based on personal, intimate relationship of open dialogue. It is not ritual or ritualistic, prescribed or performance. Prayer is the expression of my life laid open to the hand of my God.
