Prayer is simply a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God. The words pray, prayer, and prayed are used 539 times in the Bible in reference to calling or crying out to God. Here are a few examples of prayer in the Scriptures:
Prayer as a call:
Prayer as a cry:
The above Scriptures represent two kinds of prayers. One is a call, or request, to God while the other is a much more demonstrative way of seeking and pleading earnestly—even loudly—with God by shrieking or crying or being moved to the point of being in an uproar.
When I reflect on my prayer journey, I have a long history of calling out to God in prayer but a much shorter history of crying out to God. Where are you in your prayer journey today? I suspect all of us are calling out to God for some specific prayer requests, but have you considered crying out to God, asking Him to move those big mountains in your life?
Father, we cry out to You with loud shouts to move the big mountains in our lives, trusting that You can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Amen.
-from our Vice President of Evangelism