Christian mantras can help you can find peace through one-word prayer. Here are three short prayers, in the languages of Jesus.
Finding Peace Through One-Word Prayer
In my previous articles on one-word prayer, I invited readers to discover Christian mantras. These are short prayers to slowly repeat with each breath. The author of 1 Thessalonians suggests that believers “pray without ceasing.” Through one-word prayer, you can do just that. It’s hard to constantly think of new things to say to God. But, if we understand prayer as simply being in God’s presence, then Christian mantras help us to keep in touch with God while we are going through our busy days. Simply use this one-word prayer to center your thoughts and meditations on God as you go. By doing so, you can find peace through one-word prayer.
Christian Mantras
Below are three suggestions for Christian mantras. The first two are in Hebrew. The third is in Aramaic. Jesus spoke both languages. Some English translations of the Bible leave these words untranslated, rendering them in their original languages. For some reason, these translators believed there was something special about the exact word. Perhaps as you meditate on them, you’ll find the blessing of these words as well.
“Shalom”
Shalom is a Hebrew word that means “peace.” But it means so much more than that. Although Shalom is a greeting, it means much more than “hello.” Shalom is a deep well of a word. More than a wish for the absence of war, Shalom is a blessing that imparts wholeness and inner well-being, godly rest, and satisfaction.
Shalom is a gift that you can give to others. In Matthew 10:12-13, Jesus says, “As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of [shalom]. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of [shalom].” This word has substance. It has power. It is the delivery of divine peace to all who will receive it.
When Gideon built an altar to God, he named it Yahweh Shalom, or “The Lord is Peace (Judges 6:24).” Praying Shalom invites God’s peace into your life. As it flows through you, it radiates to others. As you pray this word, imagine yourself receiving God’s wholeness. Then picture that blessing pulsating from you with every breath, spreading to your family, friends, neighbors, and even your enemies. There is power in the word “peace.”
“Yahweh”
When Moses asked the burning bush who he should say sent him to Pharaoh, God said, “I Am that I Am (Exodus 3:14).” Yahweh means “I am the self-existent one,” or “I am existence itself.”
The word “I AM” here is a form of the name Yahweh, which in Hebrew is called the Tetragrammaton because of its four letters, YHWH. This name, transliterated into Latin, becomes “Jehovah.” Many Bibles avoid giving the name of God because some believe that this name is too sacred to be pronounced. So instead of tempting people to pronounce the unspeakable Name, they replaced the word YHWH with LORD. When you find the word “Lord” with a capital “L” and lowercase “ord,” then it is often another word, Adonai. However, when you see it in all caps, this is the sacred name of God, Yahweh, rendered in such a way as to keep that name secret. But is this name a secret?
The name Yahweh occurs 6,807 times in the Bible, roughly three times more than the next-most-used title of God, Elohim. God wants us to know God’s essence—and to call God by name. Praying the name Yahweh puts you in touch with the Self-existent one, the One who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8; 4:8). I suggest repeating the name in time with your breath, pronouncing the first syllable, “Yah” as you inhale and the second syllable “Weh” as you exhale.
In Exodus 34:5-6, God declared the divine name to Moses: “The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slower to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.'” Just as God revealed His name to Moses, He reveals it to us through His word. So, meditating on His name is ours by right, as believers. It is no secret, but a sacred trust to be held and enjoyed.
“Maranatha!”
Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “Our Lord, come!” It is found in 1 Corinthians 16:22 and implied in Revelation 22:20. This word is a prayer for the return of Christ but may be used to invite Jesus’ presence in any situation. It may have been used as a greeting among early Christians. As you pray Maranatha, you’re asking Jesus to come into your life, come into your home, come into your troubles. Maranatha is a prayer of invitation and expectation.
This is an interesting one to pray in seated meditation. Here are two ways. First, try a deep inhale, followed by the entire word. Alternatively, try breaking up the word into its individual syllables. As you breathe in deeply, whisper the first syllable, “ma” on the inhale. Pronounce the second syllable, “ra” on the exhale. When you inhale again, breathe the third syllable, “na.” On the second exhale, say the fourth syllable, “tha.” As you pray for the Lord to come, feel the presence of Jesus warm your heart.
Personally, I find this one to be a good prayer when walking or running. Its metrical cadence lends itself to repetitive physical activity. When running, I breathe in for three footfalls, repeating the first syllable. Then I breathe out for three footfalls, repeating the second syllable. Three more footfalls, and I say the third syllable. Then I say the fourth syllable with three more footfalls. And so the cycle goes. This turns running or walking into a meditation.
One Carefully-Chosen Word
In my first article of this series, I wrote:
One carefully chosen word can be all it takes to make a whole prayer. For example, think of a time when you were in danger, and you only had a split second to pray. You might have uttered a prayer like, “God!” or “Jesus!” Prayers like this meant with sincerity aren’t taking the Lord’s name in vain. They are an entire prayer, encapsulated in one word. You may also have prayed prayers like “Help!” or “Patience!” or maybe just “Aaarrggh!” Romans 8:26 says that in times like this, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words.” So, it’s good to know how to pray a one-word prayer. This may at times be better at times than a lengthy prayer.
My prayer is that, by using the twelve one-word prayers in this series, you’ll discover the blessings of Christian mantras. I invite you to discover your own one-word prayers and incorporate them into your own practice. Let them be part of your active prayer while exercising or seated meditation. Incorporate them into all aspects of your life so you can “pray without ceasing.” See how Christian mantras make you conscious of God’s presence throughout your day.
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