Introduction
prayer is universal. Every religion practice is prayer in some form. Much of it is meaningless repetition. Some of it is empty meditation period is empty meditation.
Even within Christendom, “ many ideas concerning prayer exist. For some, it is a recitation of religious platitudes or exercises. For others, it is a mysterious technique for extracting benevolences from the Almighty in times of desperate need. It is considered by still others as a psychological exercise restoring poise and Peace of Mind to troubled souls” (French, The Principles and Practices of Prayer, Great Commission Prayer League.)
While anyone who believes in God is naturally inclined to pray, the many divergent ideas about prayer demonstrates how important it is to learn what prayer is and how we are to pray. Most people learn to pray by observing others and their families and churches. But if we are to learn the distinctive qualities of Christian prayer, we must look first to Jesus Christ.