It is my understanding that Jesus, Yeshuah, spoke Aramaic--the common language of what we, today call "The Middle East". The Aramaic word for 'pray' is SHALAH. It does not mean 'to ask' for favours, or treat 'god' as our heavenly Bell-Hop. It simply means, to tune into, or to connect with G O D--that which Generates, Organizes and Delivers the Truth we need to hear.
The word prayer? Think of it as like ,"setting your mind like a trap so that you may catch the truth you need to hear ... so that you get to know what you need to do find the solutions you need."
As a former theist, now a
UNITHEIST, who is also interested in
DEISM--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism --I like what 1 John 4 says about God: Boldly, he tells us, God is love--that is Agape-love.
WILLPOWER--the greatest human strength (there is a book with that name), which keeps me in Tune with the Infinite and the Eternal, morning noon and night . From experience, I have learned that theistic prayers, given by long-winded preachers, have little, or no, effect. Boring. More often, than not, they cause people to vote with their feet, and abandon weekly services.
THINGS CHANGED WHEN
BTW, In the 1960s--1970s, when I was the minister at Willowdale UC, North Toronto (1966---27 yrs--1994). With the consent of the Board, I stopped talking to 'god' confessing our sins and begging Him to bless us; switched to THE-MEDITATION+music format. Then we all just TUNED-IN and LISTENED. A poll was taken. with the results: virtually 100% approval of Meditative Listening.
