In the King James version prayer is mention 114 times. Pray 313 times. Prayed 65 times. Praying 20 times. Thus a total of 512 times.
The first recorded mention of prayer is, as I perceive it, a conversation between the first man and God. God would come and talk with Adam and Eve. Hence the beginning of prayer, of the conversation between God and man before the fall. What is important is that God made the first move to communicate with us. God extended his compassionate nature towards us.
That first prayer/conversation, God started was in a friendly, relaxed, uninhibited manner. He wants to do the same with us today.
From then God's compassion reached its height by giving us His son Jesus to be our personal gateway to the Father. Therefore the greatest prayer to say must be simply, 'Jesus'. Through the Holy Spirit born in us through God's compassion we can confidently pray 'Jesus' as a complete prayer. This is our response to God's conversation with us. To his calling our name just as He did in the Garden of Eden. We respond to Him and to His help.
How awesome then, to be given the name of our Saviour, to be able to say His name in reverence every waking moment. How humble it ought to make us, knowing His Name and to be allowed to say it, pray it, breath it and live it. This is so personal, so intimate. It is Love. It is Compassion. An incredible freedom that we have been given.
The name 'Jesus' can and will change our lives. We need to be weary of misusing it as it is a direct line through the Holy Spirit to God. The name will protect us, heal us, satisfy us, embolden us, answer us, fulfill us. It is not a name to be taken lightly.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty with your heart to utter anything before God. God is in Heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
God knows our needs and His name will carry our requests. We are told that in
Matthew 6:7
When you pray don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again.
Believing in the name and power of Jesus is our freedom. His name is our prayer, to say it prayerfully, is to pray without ceasing. When we pray the name of 'Jesus' we come away from the distractions of other voices, and we listen to the One voice that can help us. It is our response to God's calling, to his arms outstretched coming towards us. This is our reminder that He first called us.
1 Peter 5:10
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
Thank you God for loving us first.
