Alma was troubled by the prayer of the Zoramites. "They cry unto thee," he said to God, "and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride" (Alma 31:27). He was right to be concerned. The memorized prayer of the Zoramites included arrogant asserti… | By Paul Anderson on July 21, 2024 | Alma was troubled by the prayer of the Zoramites. "They cry unto thee," he said to God, "and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride" (Alma 31:27). He was right to be concerned. The memorized prayer of the Zoramites included arrogant assertions such as, "Thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell" (Alma 31:17). Alma was disturbed by the callousness of that statement: Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while others shall perish Alma 31:28 Alma's assessment of the Zoramite prayers has made me wonder: Do my prayers contain expressions of pride? Do my prayers reinforce my pride or do they help me humble myself. Here are some thoughts about how to assess and improve the humility of our prayers: - Amulek taught the Zoramites, "If ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need...your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing" (Alma 34:28). A humble prayer is compassionate and leads to compassionate behavior.
- Referencing the Zoramite prayer, Alma taught his son Shiblon, "Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times" (Alma 38:14). A humble prayer is a vulnerable prayer, acknowledging our weaknesses instead of exaggerating our strengths.
- In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln pointed out that people on both sides of the America Civil War prayed for victory. "Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. ... The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes." A humble prayer recognizes that it operates in a context, including other people's prayers and the purposes of God.
- Moroni warned us against selfish prayers. "Ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God" (Mormon 9:28; see also James 4:3). A humble prayer reflects a desire to serve, not a demand for desired blessings.
- The Bible Dictionary teaches, "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other." A humble prayer is adaptable and receptive to guidance from God.
Today, I will strive to pray with more humility. I will pray with compassion, vulnerability, a sense of context, a service-orientation, and receptiveness. | | | |
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