We know how to "say our prayers," but do we know how to hear from God? Wrestle with God? Abide in God? This series will dig deeper into five aspects of prayer and offer practical advice on how to go deeper in communion with God by His Spirit.

Prayer is the most central and fundamental component of our relationship with Jesus, yet sometimes we often stay in the proverbial shallow end of the pool. Today, we begin a new series called Deeper. In this series, over the next five weeks, we will look at how to go deeper in prayer. Each week, we will take one element of prayer and explore how to practice it. We’ll be looking at talking to God, abiding with God, listening to God, wrestling with God and interceding with God. One member of the clergy will be teaching each week and today we begin with the subject of how to talk to God with the Rev. Alex Graham. We hope you enjoy this series and that it draws you deeper into your relationship with God.

The Rev. Dr. Suse E. McBay
Associate for Adult Christian Education and Prayer Ministries
Please do not reply to this email.
To respond to this Bible study, please email
the Rev. Alex D. Graham at agraham@stmartinsepiscopal.org.
Week 1: Talking to God (How to Pray)


Prayer is a global phenomenon. All the great monotheistic religions—Judaism, Islam and Christianity—emphasize prayer in their traditions. In Christianity, prayer is at the very heart of Christian experience. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself made a habit of praying. Perhaps the most beautiful and detailed account of this is “The High Priestly Prayer” found in John 17. And, of course, Jesus taught His disciples “how” to pray in the Lord’s Prayer.

Yet, what is prayer? Our Catechism defines prayer as a “response to God...with or without words.” The key word is response. Prayer is our answer to God. God speaks to us first through the Scriptures, and we “respond” by talking back to God. Tim Keller, in is his excellent book Prayer, defines prayer as “a conversation that God has started through His word and grace which eventually becomes a full encounter with Him.” God starts the conversation with us. He speaks to us first. We respond by continuing that conversation by speaking back to God; this is what prayer is.

So how do we pray? There are lots of different models of prayer. We have a beautiful example in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6). There are also 25 Collects (or prayers) for various occasions found on pages 251-261 of the Book of Common Prayer. Additionally, there are also 81 “Prayers and Thanksgivings” on pages 814-841 which can be prayed. These are helpful examples for us to look at and utilize in our own prayer life.
Yet, it is important to know that anyone can pray. God is not impressed with our flowery speech or eloquent language when we pray. That’s because the secret to prayer is sincerity. God wants us to be sincere when we prayer. We get a beautiful picture of this when Jesus invites children to come to Him in Luke 18. He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” This is an important principle for prayer as well. When we talk to God—when we pray—we should do so like a child: with sincerity. This, by the way, is why Jesus teaches us to begin our prayers with the words “Our Father.” Our address to God is as a loving father.

So prayer, at its heart, is an intimate conversation with God. It’s an opportunity for us to be transparent, to admit our sins and to petition him to break into our lives. This is what prayer is all about—having a sincere conversation with God.

Discussion Questions:

  • Read through several of the Collects in the Book of Common Prayer (p. 251-261). Do you notice a pattern in how the Collects are structured? Write your own collect based on this pattern.
  • Read through several of the “Prayers and Thanksgivings” found on p. 814-841 of the Book of Common Prayer. Consider memorizing 1-2 which you think might be helpful for you to pray.
  • This week, commit to beginning your day with prayer. As you do this, slowly read through the Lord’s Prayer, pausing to meditate on each part. Use this as a springboard for your conversation with God.

Concluding Prayer:

Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in thy Son's Name: We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ear to us who have now made our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 (Book of Common Prayer, p. 834)