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One of my favorite LDS Hymns is number 140, "Did You Think to Pray?" It offers us a gentle reminder to pray.
It lists some of the circumstances in which we should pray.
It lists some of the benefits that come from praying.
First of all, what is prayer? Perhaps in the simplest form we can describe prayer as a conversation with God. Sure there are some prayers for special ordinances, like baptism and the sacrament, that use specific words every time. And there are public prayers given to open or close meetings, in which the one giving the prayer is speaking for the entire group. But what I am talking about is the intimate, one-on-one, personal prayer between you and God.
God is the father of our spirits. We are all his spiritual children. God is magnificent and powerful. He is all knowning. His greatness is beyond our meager ability to comprehend. If he wanted, he could require us to call him, "all knowning, great and powerful Master". But instead, he prefers that we simply call him "Heavenly Father". He knows and loves each one of us individually. As any good father, He wants to have a one-on-one personal relationship with each of us. And sincere personal prayer is the means by which we can strive for this.
I first learned that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers when I was around 9 years old. My parents sent my younger brother and I on an adventure. They put us on a bus from Salt Lake City to Tooele, a 34 mile trip, to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma. The bus driver was instructed to drop us off at the Liberty Park on Main Street in Tooele. My Grandpa would be waiting for us there.
The bus driver dropped us off at the designated place and told us to wait for Grandpa to come pick us up. So, we started playing and having fun. But after awhile we noticed that it was getting late and Grandpa had not come to get us. We had no way to call anyone for help. It was a scary feeling being in a strange place and not knowing what to do.
I suggested to my brother that we should pray to Heavenly Father for his help. So, we knelt down and I said a simple prayer, "Heavenly Father please bless Grandpa to come pick us up soon."
Meanwhile, my grandpa was across town at a friends house. He had totally forgotten that we were coming. But at the time of our prayer, his friend asked, "what time are your grand kids coming?" And suddenly Grandpa remembered about us. He immediately came to the park to pick us up. Was it just a coincidence? I don't think so. It was divine intervention from a loving Heavenly Father who heard a simple prayer and answered it.
Since then, I have had many more conversations with Heavenly Father. And he has heard and answered my prayers in many ways. As the hymn says, "Don't forget to pray".
In what ways has God heard and answered your prayers?
It lists some of the benefits that come from praying.
First of all, what is prayer? Perhaps in the simplest form we can describe prayer as a conversation with God. Sure there are some prayers for special ordinances, like baptism and the sacrament, that use specific words every time. And there are public prayers given to open or close meetings, in which the one giving the prayer is speaking for the entire group. But what I am talking about is the intimate, one-on-one, personal prayer between you and God.
God is the father of our spirits. We are all his spiritual children. God is magnificent and powerful. He is all knowning. His greatness is beyond our meager ability to comprehend. If he wanted, he could require us to call him, "all knowning, great and powerful Master". But instead, he prefers that we simply call him "Heavenly Father". He knows and loves each one of us individually. As any good father, He wants to have a one-on-one personal relationship with each of us. And sincere personal prayer is the means by which we can strive for this.
I first learned that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers when I was around 9 years old. My parents sent my younger brother and I on an adventure. They put us on a bus from Salt Lake City to Tooele, a 34 mile trip, to spend some time with Grandpa and Grandma. The bus driver was instructed to drop us off at the Liberty Park on Main Street in Tooele. My Grandpa would be waiting for us there.
The bus driver dropped us off at the designated place and told us to wait for Grandpa to come pick us up. So, we started playing and having fun. But after awhile we noticed that it was getting late and Grandpa had not come to get us. We had no way to call anyone for help. It was a scary feeling being in a strange place and not knowing what to do.
I suggested to my brother that we should pray to Heavenly Father for his help. So, we knelt down and I said a simple prayer, "Heavenly Father please bless Grandpa to come pick us up soon."
Meanwhile, my grandpa was across town at a friends house. He had totally forgotten that we were coming. But at the time of our prayer, his friend asked, "what time are your grand kids coming?" And suddenly Grandpa remembered about us. He immediately came to the park to pick us up. Was it just a coincidence? I don't think so. It was divine intervention from a loving Heavenly Father who heard a simple prayer and answered it.
Since then, I have had many more conversations with Heavenly Father. And he has heard and answered my prayers in many ways. As the hymn says, "Don't forget to pray".
In what ways has God heard and answered your prayers?
Authored by LLHappyEternal Writer: 1408
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