The Bible describes prayer in a variety of ways, and in the book of Genesis it begins by describing it as "walking with God."
In the beginning, Adam had the direct experience of being with God, asking him questions and listening to his instructions.
After the Fall, humans no longer had that direct contact, but prayer was still described as "walking with God."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this reality in its section on prayer:
Prayer is lived in the first place beginning with the realities of creation. The first nine chapters of Genesis describe this relationship with God as an offering of the first-born of Abel's flock, as the invocation of the divine name at the time of Enosh, and as "walking with God. Noah's offering is pleasing to God, who blesses him and through him all creation, because his heart was upright and undivided; Noah, like Enoch before him, "walks with God." This kind of prayer is lived by many righteous people in all religions.
What's interesting is how this expression can still help us in our own prayer life.
Prayer is essentially about a friendship with God and whenever we speak to him, it should be as if we were walking with him.
The apostles knew this first-hand and were able to experience the privilege of walking with God, asking him every question imaginable.
The next time you pray, reflect on your own approach to prayer and how this expression can help you draw closer to God.
