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| Jesus praying to God the Father in Gethsemane, Heinrich Hofmann, 1890. |
"Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people," 1 Nephi 1:5.
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart," Jeremiah 29:13.
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," James 5:16.
"Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me. And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them," 2 Nephi 4:24.
What does it mean to pray with all one's heart? Both Nephi and Jeremiah speak of wholehearted prayer. James uses the words fervent and righteous. Lehi's counsel to his posterity before his death gives specifics for wholehearted prayer. Wholehearted, fervent, righteous, bold, and mighty prayer isn't 'now I lay me down to sleep' or some other repetitious childhood rhyme but a conversation with a God in whom one has faith (or one seeking truth and faith). It is an expectation (or hope) of results and teaching. It is a two way communication with Him of whom I have or want to develop a relationship. 'Do I fervently cry by day with all my heart in righteousness' becomes the deeper concern.
