How does one communicate with God?

[fakename]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done. Also, God, though he knows what is in your mind, still you are supposed to pray, whereas a human who knew your mind would not ask you to speak with him all else being equal.

Or am I wrong? What principles underlie our prayer and communication with God?

 

[E_Thrower_II]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done. Also, God, though he knows what is in your mind, still you are supposed to pray, whereas a human who knew your mind would not ask you to speak with him all else being equal.

Or am I wrong? What principles underlie our prayer and communication with God?

KJV Mathew 6:1-13
1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

[E_Thrower_II]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done. Also, God, though he knows what is in your mind, still you are supposed to pray, whereas a human who knew your mind would not ask you to speak with him all else being equal.

Or am I wrong? What principles underlie our prayer and communication with God?

KJV Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

[Philotheatoo]

The same way we communicate with humans: talk and be a good listener.

 

[FallenLeaf]

but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done

I would humbly disagree.
If we are silent in God’s presence, and open our hearts to Him, He hears what we say “without words”, and our hearts speak to Him. He knows our needs before we even voice them, and I believe prayer is more about relationship, and less about asking. Dare I say, God doesn’t even need our prayers, but He desires them because He desires us and desires to love us.
What you don’t, or can’t, say, God hears as long as we are willing to rest in His presence…but He responds according to His will, not ours, which is perhaps why it sometimes seems our prayers aren’t answered!

FL x

 

[meltzerboy]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done. Also, God, though he knows what is in your mind, still you are supposed to pray, whereas a human who knew your mind would not ask you to speak with him all else being equal.

Or am I wrong? What principles underlie our prayer and communication with God?

I always thought that the purpose of prayer is not only to bring G-d closer to us but also to bring us closer to G-d. IOW, prayer is for OUR benefit. However, silent prayer is perfectly acceptable, at least in Judaism. On the Holy Day of Yom Kippur (approaching very soon), there is a portion of the service devoted to the silent prayer, meditation, and reflection of the heart.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done. Also, God, though he knows what is in your mind, still you are supposed to pray, whereas a human who knew your mind would not ask you to speak with him all else being equal.

Or am I wrong? What principles underlie our prayer and communication with God?

It is not right what you speak about humans. My in-laws were married for 50 years and when in the later years, the recounted the same stories hundreds of times.

You be in silence in front of God. silence is sharing. lovers are side by side without talking and still they feel the presennce of the other…

And say the rosay. I cannot explain the virtue of rosary in a few lines.
and say the prayer Jesus taught the Hplu Father.
Dont think too much, why this, why that, 2 loves do not ponder why do I put my hand in your shoulders or waiste, it is better a show of love on the shoulder or on the waist…
Just pray, and dont think…

 

[fakename]

my question may be based on my peculiar definition of prayer from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

An act of the virtue of religion which consists in asking proper gifts or graces from God. In a more general sense it is the application of the mind to Divine things, not merely to acquire a knowledge of them but to make use of such knowledge as a means of union with God. This may be done by acts of praise and thanksgiving, but petition is the principal act of prayer.

now “to ask” (and this is seen even more in the proceeding paragraphs) means to focus one’s attention in articulating your needs or desires.

So all prayer in the strict sense means to articulate and not to be mentally silent (for mental prayer) or physically silent (for vocal prayer) and leave certain things implied.

But perhaps prayer rightfully denotes more than the strict sense? But even if it does, I don’t see how anything can be implicit in a prayer -everything must be specified. For if not, then why do we have numerous different prayers for different things, and why are some prayers better received and more appropriate than others, or again why are there such things as prayer cards?

 

[davidv]

my question may be based on my peculiar definition of prayer from the Catholic Encyclopedia:

An act of the virtue of religion which consists in asking proper gifts or graces from God. In a more general sense it is the application of the mind to Divine things, not merely to acquire a knowledge of them but to make use of such knowledge as a means of union with God. This may be done by acts of praise and thanksgiving, but petition is the principal act of prayer.

now “to ask” (and this is seen even more in the proceeding paragraphs) means to focus one’s attention in articulating your needs or desires.

So all prayer in the strict sense means to articulate and not to be mentally silent (for mental prayer) or physically silent (for vocal prayer) and leave certain things implied.

But perhaps prayer rightfully denotes more than the strict sense? But even if it does, I don’t see how anything can be implicit in a prayer -everything must be specified. For if not, then why do we have numerous different prayers for different things, and why are some prayers better received and more appropriate than others, or again why are there such things as prayer cards?

It seems me that you are using too narrow a definition of prayer to draw the conclusion you have stated above.

The Catechism descibes prayer in three aspects, 1) as a gift, 2) as a covenant and 3) as communion.

2559 "Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God."2 But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart?3 He who humbles himself will be exalted;4 *humility *is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought,"5 are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."6

None of the above states, neither explicitly, nor implicitly, that prayer must be articulated.

 

[puzzleannie]

that is, through prayer?

It seems to me that communication with God does not rest on the same principles as communication with humans because with humans you can communicate thoughts implicitly, but with God, one must actually state what you want in a prayer and what you leave out of that prayer, it seems, is not done.

I must not know how to communicate with humans because I am unable to do so implicitly only through my thoughts. Please share your secret.

where does it say you must specifically tell God in words what you want to say, and that if you “leave something out” the prayer is not complete? I am fascinated to know where you are getting your information

the humans I know are not able to read my mind, and don’t know what I want to say unless I say it, so your humans must be gifted.

God can read your mind, and you are not praying to give him information he does not have, but to give yourself information, to explain yourself to yourself, to bring yourself closer to his will and to simply speak as one does to one’s beloved–speaking words of love. I know of no one loved by another who does not long to hear that lover speak of his love in every way possible.

 

[fakename]

By implicit communication b/t people I mean stuff like “body-language”, the “you-know-what-I-mean” phenomenon where you don’t actually have to say something explicitly for someone to understand it, and the general idea that everyone probably has that “just because someone doesn’t say it, that doesn’t mean that they don’t want or think it”.

All these would be impossible if all communication were explicit.

But as I said it seems that these principles don’t apply to God -God doesn’t seem to infer our thoughts from body-language (or else certain gestures would suffice to communicate with God), and again when one prays you don’t simply say anything and trust that he knows what you mean; instead you use defined formulas and explicit thoughts.

As another poster said, should I expand my definition of prayer and why should I?

 

[davidv]

By implicit communication b/t people I mean stuff like “body-language”, the “you-know-what-I-mean” phenomenon where you don’t actually have to say something explicitly for someone to understand it, and the general idea that everyone probably has that “just because someone doesn’t say it, that doesn’t mean that they don’t want or think it”.

All these would be impossible if all communication were explicit.

But as I said it seems that these principles don’t apply to God -God doesn’t seem to infer our thoughts from body-language (or else certain gestures would suffice to communicate with God), and again when one prays you don’t simply say anything and trust that he knows what you mean; instead you use defined formulas and explicit thoughts.

As another poster said, should I expand my definition of prayer and why should I?

Since God is all-knowing, why do you think he needs to hear words in order to understand you?