Say “prayer” and most will probably think of the Lord’s Prayer (and probably the old English version). And the first reaction might be to bow head and put hands together. Yet in the Bible, prayer doesn’t require fancy words or particular actions.

Look to the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus taught it (Luke 11:2-5). No old English there, notice. What is interesting is the parable that follows, concluding in verses 9-10: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Perhaps prayer is not so much about what is said, as to the mere fact of the asking. This fits with what has already been discussed about the importance of relationship with God—he wants us to talk to him, and we can do this in prayer.

There are quite a few examples of prayers in the Bible, as you might expect. The Lord’s Prayer is one, and, taught by Jesus, seems like an amazing template! In other places in the New Testament, Paul says, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ (Philippians 4:6). Christians are encouraged to speak to God, to use prayer to give up things that are worrying them to God—He wants to hear about it! In Thessalonians, Paul encourages the Christians to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), another indication that God wants us to pray to Him, to talk to Him.