What is prayer? Here are some John Calvin's answers.

Prayer is...

“The communion of men with God by which, having entered the heavenly sanctuary, God’s throne room, they appeal to him in person concerning his promises in order to experience that what they believe is not in vain.”

“Prayer is a communication between God and us whereby we expound to him our desires, our joys, our sighs, in a word, all the thoughts of our hearts.”

“Holy and familiar conversation with God, our Heavenly Father.”

“Prayer is an emotion of the heart within poured out and laid open before our Father.”

“Like Christ in Gethsemane we cast in prayer our desires, our sighs, our anxieties, our fears, our hopes, our joys into the lap of our Father.”

“Prayer is the means by which I pour out my worries bit by bit on God.”

“We are permitted in prayer to pour into God’s bosom the difficulties that torment us in order that he may loosen our knots which we cannot untie.”