What is prayer?

I grew up being taught the idea that prayer is simply “talking to God.” Lately, I’m starting to wonder if that’s very accurate.

If we are commanded to “pray continually” then the concept of simply “talking to God” doesn’t make much sense. If I were always actively talking to someone, I’d never get anything done in my day.

I think about what it’s like to spend quality time with someone I love. We aren’t talking the whole time; the awareness of each others’ presence is often enough. Maybe that’s closer to the truth: prayer is simply acknowledging the presence of God and keeping Him at the forefront of our minds in all that we do.

But there’s nothing active about that. What is the action of prayer? Maybe it’s active talking when we have a moment, but even then I wonder if there’s not much more we can do than take to heart and repeat the words Jesus told us to pray:

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

No asking for particular things we want or feel we need. No praying for particular people. It’s simple and it covers pretty much everything I could ever say to God without starting to feel selfish or over the top.

So what is prayer? I still don’t know. But lately, acknowledging God’s presence and saying those words, and those words only, has been more fulfilling than I ever would have imagined.