Variety Xian Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Variety Xian Experience - Essay Example It is safe to state that faith is the bedrock of Christianity as a religion. "As a system of faith, Christianity manifests 'faith' in all the various meanings that this term has acquired in the history of religion: as loyalty to the divine, based on the prior loyalty of the divine to the world and to humanity; as the confidence that God is trustworthy in truth and love; as dependence on the Father of Jesus Christ, who is the source of all good in this life and in the life to come; as the commitment to direct thought and action in accordance with the divine word and will; and as the affirmation that certain events and declarations, as given by divine revelation, are a reliable index to that will and word. It is the last of those meanings that provides a basis for describing in an epitome what it is that Christianity believes, teaches, and confesses. It is all about having faith in God," (Pelikan 2005). Prayer is the door that opens unto a storehouse of treasures. Even Jesus Christ ope nly confessed that, "ask and it will be given you; seek and you find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened," (cf. Matthew 7:7-8). Th... Confessions, II, 2). Therese Elizabeth enthused about the sweetness and the wonder of the divine guidance she received from God (cf. J.M.J.T, p.14). No better way to summarize the magnanimity of God's consolations towards mankind than in these words of Kempis: " Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling place for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within'. His peace great and His intimacy wonderful indeed," (cf. Imitation, II, p.208). Certainly, from these primary experiences, it could be noted that the individuals who have realized the importance of prayer naturally make it easier for people back then up until the present time to actually be able handle life challenges successfully. Being the main channel of communication between God and his faithful followers, prayer plays a great role on the process by which true Christian s are able to create a fine relationship between them and the God that they worship. It is undeniable that prayer indeed plays a huge role within the development of the belief and faith that Christians put upon God. SINCE earliest times men have felt the need to pray to God. Realizing their own insignificance and inability to reach him without help, they have invented numerous "aids" to prayer. Some persons use prayer books. They read prayers that have been written for various occasions, hoping that these will help them to gain God's favor. Others pray to saints, asking them to intercede with God in their behalf. Another common practice is that of memorizing prayers and using a rosary to keep track of how many times these are said. However, even some religious leaders in churches that use these aids consider them