Prayer offers a means of communion with the divine. People pray to God for different reasons – some because he offers them the hope for salvation, and others because he unlocks the path to heaven. Even in praying, they open their hearts to God – and may be touched by the rays of enlightenment, or love for the divine. Prayer is for the faithful, prayer is for the devout. It is the instrument of their motivation; it is the source of their strength. However, the subordination of prayer into a religious system may or may not be desirable – the danger is that it would merely become another ritual that needs to be carried out.

There is a certain prayer that may be answered. It is asked as a favor – and not as a right. It may be answered, if only to demonstrate the reality of faith (to the believers). And not to suit the personal inclination of the supplicant, or to buttress a particular point of view. A certain possibility of occurrence must be seen to exist in the minds of the supplicant. The desired outcome should not be improbable, in that it should not contravene the known laws of nature. In other words, coincidences are in but miracles are out!

What does this tell us about God? First and foremost, it tells us that enlightenment emanates from within. Though God is a supernatural power, God’s power upon the earth (though great) does have certain self-imposed limitations. Though God is a sentient intelligence, and is aware of man’s needs, his thinking does not parallel that of man. That is to say, God works in mysterious ways…beyond our understanding.

We have been taught since our childhood that those who break the norms of society – or fail to uphold its values – will not benefit from it. It is fear of exposure in society (as wrongdoers) that causes us to experience unease. It is in anticipation that any wrongdoing committed may be revealed to the people known to us (our society) that we experience in our minds the need to confess or to speak out the truth. Confession may be to family, friends, priests, or simply to God – in the form of a prayer. Confession, be it in the form of a prayer to a personal god, is a salve to our conscience that we need.

Meditation should also be regarded as a form of prayer. In isolation and in solitude, it is our steadfast companion for it quietens the mind and breathes life into the soul.