Luke 1:13-17 – The angel Gabriel foretells the birth of John 

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The simplicity of Gabriel’s words to Zechariah – “your prayer has been heard” – is a refreshing reminder for us in a world where prayer is arguably underrated and overcomplicated. Prayer doesn’t need to be special or fancy, offered at particular times or only for particular things. Prayer is living deliberately with God. It can be a minute of silence, a hasty thanks, an inarticulate “help”. Most importantly though, prayer is a conversation; a two-way exchange with God. For all our words, perhaps the most important thing is to include plenty of time to listen.