pilgrim people

Whether or not prayer is a means of grace is a topic of some debate in Reformed circles, often along so-called "Continental" and "British" lines. On the one hand, there is the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) with its clear statement about prayer being the "chief part of thankfulness which God requires of us" (Q.116). The HC defines prayer as part of our gratitude to God, not a means of sanctifying grace for our faith. Earlier in the Catechism, in Q.65, it specifically deals with the means of grace: "Since, then, we are made partakers of Christ and all His benefits by faith only, where does this faith come from?" A: "The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments."

There is nothing about prayer in Q.65. The HC deliberately locates prayer in the "gratitude" section of the Catechism (QQ.86-129), which follows the "guilt" (QQ.3-11) and "grace" (QQ.12-85) sections. But this should in no way give us the impression that the HC takes prayer lightly or regards it as unimportant for the Christian. Again, the HC points out that prayer is the most important part of our response to God for his grace to us in Christ. Moreover, it devotes a full 14 questions to the discipline of prayer, expositing the "Lord's Prayer" line by line.

This is slightly different, however, than the way in which the Westminster Standards describes prayer. The Wesminster Shorter Catechism (WSC), for example, states the following:

WSC Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption? The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer, all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.

Along with Word and Sacrament, the WSC includes prayer as a means of grace.

This definition is somewhat problematic, because in our relational and covenantal communication with God, prayer is from us to God, not from God to us. God communicates to us verbally and visibly through the means he has ordained, namely, the preaching of his Gospel and the administration of his sacraments. Technically, prayer is not a means of grace.

AND YET, we should not make the mistake of thinking that prayer - and particularly private prayer - is not beneficial for the Christian. It is precisely through prayer that God is often pleased to grant the weary pilgrim much-needed subjective peace. This is why Paul says in Philippians 4.6-7: "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

It is not that private prayer works magic, but that through prayer, the Holy Spirit is often pleased to bring to our remembrance promises that he has openly declared in his Word. The Holy Spirit will never reveal something to us privately which he has not already revealed publicly in his Word. But, through prayer, he will frequently bring to our remembrance what is revealed in his Word. We can rise from our knees, as it were, knowing that the God revealed in the Bible has heard our pleas, anxieties, and requests. We can rest in the fact that our Father in heaven is sovereign, omnipotent, unchanging, and calls us to cast "all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Pet 5.7).

If all this sounds a little too Puritanical, un-Reformed, or un-Continental for our tastes, perhaps we should listen to what Calvin (the Continental Reformed theologian par excellence) says about the necessity and importance of prayer for the Christian:

"The necessity and utility of this exercise of prayer no words can sufficiently express. Assuredly it is not without cause our heavenly Father declares that our only safety is in calling upon his name, since by it we invoke the presence of his providence to watch over our interests, of his power to sustain us when weak and almost fainting, of his goodness to receive us into favour, though miserably loaded with sin; in fine, call upon him to manifest himself to us in all his perfections. Hence, admirable peace and tranquillity are given to our consciences; for the straits by which we were pressed being laid before the Lord, we rest fully satisfied with the assurance that none of our evils are unknown to him, and that he is both able and willing to make the best provision for us." (Institutes, 3.20.2)