The Evangelical Universalist Forum

How Do We Pray?

Practices Christian Living
#1

Dear Friends ~

i was wondering, as EU Christians, do you find that your personal prayers are in any way different from your non-EU brethren? is there a certain pattern of prayer which you find yourself using often, or a certain style of worship which appeals to you, personally?

i sometimes take inspiration from Eastern Orthodox styles of prayer, in the words used and the themes touched on. i try to set aside block of time in the morning and evening for this, kind of like a prayer rule. just wondering if our hope / trust in a greater Salvation gives rise to unique or special prayer forms, or habits.

#2

I’m a fairly new EU. However, I’ve noticed that overall I’m praying more. In particular the Lord’s prayer as I see it as very optimistic and EU as I mentioned awhile back UR in the Lord’s Prayer?

I also find myself praying a lot for my Christian friends that they would also find the joy of EU :slight_smile:

Unfortunately, I don’t know much about Eastern Orthodox styles of prayer.

#3

Alex ~

i find myself doing similar things. praying that more, indeed all, people would come to know the Lord, and follow Him, and rejoice in Him. i guess i’m still a little agnostic about UR, but hopeful. i’m glad you’re praying for your Christian friends! wanting others to know the joy and hope of EU bespeaks a great sense of charity, and compassion.

there are a few resources out there on Orthodox prayer. here, and here, to start with. there’s a lot of depth, solemnity, and joy in Orthodox prayers, and i believe at least a small number of Orthodox saints and theologians over the years have been soteriological universalists.

#4

Well, I communicate with God in a few different ways. It depends on my mood and how I am feeling lead at the time. For the most part I feel God and I are friends, and he is my best friend. So, I relate to him as a friend for the most part. In my earlier walk with the Lord I use to feel in order to please God or be really ‘heard’ I had to pray a certain way, style, etc, etc.

As I grew and continue to grow in God, my relationship of course grows and everything else concerning the Lord.

All of us have our own personal relationship with God and everything about it is ‘personal’. No two relationships with God, anything or anybody will look and be exactly the same. He made us all different and so we all relate to God out of own personalities, or some people just relate to God out of ‘tradition and ritual’. I think as long as what you are doing is from the
heart, God is pleased.

There are no cookie-cutter way to approach God and commune with him. He purposely made it and wants it this way.

#5

Good question Grace. I use a celtic daily prayer book called “The Rhythm of Life” by David Adam, former vicar of the holy island of Lindisfarne. The book has liturgies for morning, midday, evening and night, with a different theme for each day of the week - Resurrection, Creation, Incarnation, Holy Spirit, Community, Cross and Saints. I don’t know if David Adam is a universalist, but there is nothing in the book which jars against my beliefs and there is a great deal in the combinations of bible readings, prayers and responses which affirms them.

#6

For me, prayer is ongoing throughout the day–not continuously, because sometimes I forget, but a lot. I don’t set aside special times for prayer, though I find that idea appealing. The closest I come to that is praying at sunrise. I can’t help but stop and pray specially then – if I’m awake – and I often am. Sunrise is like resurrection – the dawning of life, light, hope.

One change for me since believing in UR is I used to pray desperately and rather resignedly for people’s salvation … now I pray confidently with expectation! I praise with genuine joy and give thanks with heartfelt gratitude.

Sonia

#7

I remember God use to wake me up a few times a week around 3-4 am. There is something about talking to the Lord at those hours of the morning that are different than the rest of the day. I remember hearing someone years go say that that time of morning is when something is something…lol! :question: Sorry, but I can’t remember exactly what they said, but it had to do with that being the most sensitive time because of something. Well, it made sense to me because I noticed he was always waking me up at that time just to talk with him.

#8

I love this answer, it’s how I see it as well. :slight_smile:

#9

Double thumbs up!!

#10

:sunglasses: We are friends of God, he calls us friend.

#11

I work in a transdenomination ministry that has a prayer phone line that I occassionally man. Though it’s interdenominational, it’s leadership and members are predominantly Arminian and thus I’m not free to openly share my faith in Jesus for the salvation of all humanity. But when I man the phones and pray with people for their lost loved ones or revival, I’ll often quote “every knee shall bow” passage and affirm it as a promise of scripture and ask God to make that a reality in our loved one’s lives. The prayer is filled with faith because it’s based on the Word, and people are greatly encouraged to trust in God for the salvation of their loved ones. So EU has really empowered me to pray in faith asking God to save and reconcile all to Himself.