Say a prayer or Pray?

“SAY” A PRAYER?? – OR, “PRAY”?

Prayer is an appeal to God.  Jesus, in his sermon on the mount, said “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven’ …” (Matthew 6:9).  The apostle Paul wrote of his concern for the salvation of his Jewish brethren with these words, Romans 10:2, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”  Paul was not “saying a prayer”; he was pouring out his heart’s desire, for them; he was praying.

        In Scripture, you look in vain for someone offering to “say a prayer”.  They might say, as did Simon (Acts 8:24) “Pray for me …”; or, Paul telling the Colossians that “we pray for you” (Colossians 1:3) – but always their requests are framed in their words that express their heart’s desire.  “Saying a prayer” misses the point: it is a performance; the “heart’s desire” is not necessarily in view.   This, incidentally, should be “taken to heart” by all as we pray: we are talking to God, not just engaging in a recital.

“Saying a prayer” is the language not only of Roman Catholics, but of those unconsciously influenced by such.  It is regrettable that the “language of Ashdod”                       continues to mislead us.  Don’t “say a prayer”; “PRAY without ceasing”.                                                   

  Pat