And Adam knew his wife
again, and she bore a son and
named him Seth, “For God
has appointed another seed
for me instead of Abel, whom
Cain killed.” And as for Seth,
to him also a son was born;
and he named him Enosh.
Then men began to call on
the name of the Lord. (Genesis
4.25, 26)
From then on prayer is
mentioned again and again
in both the Old and the New
Testament. From a list I took
from the Internet I counted
that prayer is mentioned in
the Old Testament 196 times, and in the New Testament in connection with
Jesus 68 times. After that, in a list I made from the New Search program, prayer
is specifically spoken of in the Heavenly Doctrine almost 300 times! And
although I do not have an exact count, I estimate that the general subject of
prayer is generally discussed in the Heavenly Doctrine more than 200 times.
I also have a list of more than 10 times when Swedenborg or others in the
spiritual world prayed for certain things to happen – and of course, they did!
Asking’s Purpose
Why then is prayer brought to our attention so often in Divine revelation?
The reason is quite simple: it is because prayer is essential to the fulfillment of
the Divine purpose of creation, namely that human beings may receive and be
filled with our Lord and Creator’s Divinely human love and understanding, and
consequently with heavenly happiness – unendingly. The purpose of prayer is
that it makes it possible for us to receive what we truly need, to receive what
is from the Lord.
This is what we are taught in the Apocalypse Revealed, 376, where the
following words of John are explained:
Prayer is of utmost
importance, because it is
what makes it possible for
God and His Divine qualities
to come into our hearts and
minds. Prayer opens the door
of our mind to His love and
wisdom which we so much
need. Vital spiritual things
do happen when we pray.
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white
robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to Him, “Lord, You know.”
(Revelation 7:13)
This, we are told: “symbolizes their desire to know and wish to inquire, and
the reply and the instruction then given.” (Italics added.)
John was asked these questions, “because it is common in all Divine
worship for a person to first wish, desire and pray, and for the Lord then to
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