Prayer… we all know what it is. It plays a major role in our Faith, it’s our direct telephone line to Elohim, and comforts the hearts of the distressed. But prayer's complexity becomes the topic of many debates and misconceptions throughout the community.

So in this article we're gonna look over the main pillars of prayer and dissect some common questions till we uncover the Scriptural answer!

Grab a snack, get comfy, and let's go!

GRAB THOSE TORAHS AND TENACHS AND OLD TESTAMENTS AND NEW TESTAMENTS!

Part 1: Praying Positions 

There are dozens of ways to pray. Some stand, some sit, some kneel, some keep their eyes open, some closed, some cover their heads, some don't. 

But which way is actually Scripturally correct?

Let's start with whether you should cover your head or not while praying.

First, this really depends on gender. 

According to Scripture, females must cover their head during prayer (and prophesy) and males mustn't during either.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

"I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Messiah, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Messiah is Elohim. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and esteem of Elohim; but woman is the esteem of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the heavenly messengers. Nevertheless, in YaHoWaH woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from Elohim.

Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to Elohim with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her esteem? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the assemblies of Elohim."

These rules have been bent, flipped upside down and covered in applesauce throughout many communities.

Many women don't cover their heads while praying, and in Reformed Judaism, men cover their heads while praying with "Talits" and Kippahs. This is backwards beyond belief!

Many women argue that the verse above says that their hair is their head covering, but allow me to propose a question to this argument: If a woman's covering is her hair, wouldn't that make a man's hair his covering, thus making him sin by praying while having hair? Baldness is not a command. Women need head coverings separate from human hair.

As always, the Scripture makes it perfectly clear: Men must have their head uncovered while praying and prophesying, and women must have their head covered while praying and prophesying. (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)

Now, let's talk about if you should pray while kneeling or otherwise, and whether to close your eyes or not.

Surprisingly, in John 17:1, we see that Messiah had his eyes open while praying!

John 17:1 

"Yahoshua spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Esteem Your Son, that Your Son also may esteem You,"

So, it is acceptable to pray with your eyes open, given that the Messiah (who we follow and strive to be like) opened his eyes. 

However, it is not a command to keep your eyes open during prayer. In Luke 18:13-14, we see that a tax collector, grieved of his sins, did not even look to heaven as Messiah did, and still went home from his prayer accepted by Elohim. Verse: Luke 18:13-14

 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘Elohim, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before Elohim. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

In the end, The Ruach HaKodesh guides those who pray earnestly to what they should do, so trust The Ruach to guide you on this and in all.

Now, the Scriptures do speak much about the following positions a praying person must do during supplication. 

Let's see if Scripture talks about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more than one!

Luke 18:10-13

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘Elohim, I want to thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘Elohim, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Matthew 26:38-39

"Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me." 

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Luke 22:39-41

"Yahoshua went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,"

Mark 11:25

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Ezra 9:5-6

"Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to YaHoWaH my Elohim and prayed…"

There are plenty of verses speaking on prayer positions, but the most common positions mentioned are standing and kneeling.

But overall, there is no command as to how to position yourself during supplication. 

What matters most is this:

• Praying in Messiah's Name (John 14:13)

• Trusting and Believing that Elohim will grant your request if it is within His will (1 John 5:14)

• Forgiving those we have a grudge against so that our sins will be forgiven 

• (Mark 11:25-26)

• Giving thanks to Elohim in our prayer (Philippians 4:6)

• Pray privately, without boasting in public (Matthew 6:5-6)

• Pray in the Spirit, pray for others (Ephesians 6:18)

• Pray for righteous things, not fleshly things (James 4:3)