You see a friend’s prayer request post. They’re going through a hard time; their mom is sick and their dad just lost his job. So you do what any good friend does: you comment with something along the lines of, “Praying!”
But do you actually pray for them?
In today’s world, or really in any era, the line between prayer and thought can easily be blurred. Prayer isn’t actually about closing your eyes or bowing your head, is it? God already knows all this stuff, right? Why do we need to bring it up?
First, consider that God wants us to pray. He loves when his children talk to him, and he relishes their words! It brings him joy when we lift requests up to him. On that note, we’re actually commanded in Scripture to pray. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV).
Prayer also helps us stay focused on God. The more that we talk to God, the more we lift our thoughts and needs up to him instead of trying to fix our problems on our own. It reminds us that he’s sovereign and in control, and that we need him.
But what about personal prayer? What about our posture while we pray? Is closing our eyes and folding our hands, or being alone to pray, actually necessary?
Yes and no. A former Sunday School teacher of mine used to say, “Bow your heads and close your eyes because he’s King and you’re not.” This is such a beautiful picture because it reminds us that prayer is about God, not us. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-6). Being alone with eyes closed, hands folded, and words spoken aloud helps us to focus on our Father instead of the people or distractions around us.
But prayer should not be limited to the spare moments we have alone. I have a friend who prays aloud in her car with her kids on their way to school, but she can’t take her eyes off of the road, or her hands off of the wheel. Just because we’re in a situation where we can’t close our eyes or fold our hands doesn’t mean we have an excuse not to pray. God hears us no matter where we are (and he wants us to pray continually!).
Lastly, prayer matters to those around us. It’s the deepest and most spiritual way of caring for those in the body of Christ. It’s lifting their burdens up to him. It draws us nearer, as a body, to Christ.
So when you see that prayer request, pray even before you comment. Take ten seconds to lift them up to God before you keep scrolling. Pray when you wake up, asking for God’s blessings on your day. Pray when you go to bed, thanking him for the things that he has provided. Remember your brothers and sisters in Christ in your prayers. It brings you nearer to the Lord.
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