What is a Prayer Necklace and How to Use Them

A prayer necklace helps you build a habit of praying with intentionality and purpose while adding a little bit of fun and bling to your daily life.

Prayer is used to communicate with God and reconcile with Him. It is a way to repent for our sins and discuss our struggles. In all honesty, we are nothing without prayer. That is why we have prayer necklaces. 

Prayer necklaces are something we use to keep in touch with Christ. It gives us that feeling of safety wherever we may go. Since it’s a necklace, it creates a sense of identity of who we are in our spiritual journey. Though we don’t need it, it acts like a token for us. 

What is a Prayer Necklace?

A prayer necklace is a piece of accessory worn by Christians to help us with our daily prayer. Though we don’t need it, it is a tool of comfort to help us pray. It is a reminder to at least pray every day. Prayer necklaces can also act as a part of our Christian identity. It’s more meaningful to the wearer than in a fashion sense. It is one of the types of accessories that symbolizes your faith.

The prayer necklace may not give us safety but it is a sense of security to some. It provides a sense of hope whenever we wear them and it makes us feel like God is always with us. It has grown a sentimental value to us as long as it lasts.

Prayer Necklace vs. Rosary

A prayer necklace and a rosary are often used interchangeably. The rosary is used to memorize prayers in the scriptures. They use the rosary to worship Mother Mary and pray to her. The beads around the rosary symbolize how many times you would have to say your prayer. There are a lot of kinds of rosaries depending on the timeline of the Catholic Church. 

You can see the difference between the prayer necklace and the rosary just by looking at their meaning. Prayer necklaces, however, are not essential for Christians. This is unnecessary, and the Bible doesn’t say anything about it. You can still be saved without a prayer necklace.

What Does the Bible Say About a Prayer Necklace? 

The Bible didn’t mention a prayer necklace at all. It doesn’t also say anything wrong when using one. So, if you ever want one, there is no harm in having one. But we must remember that the Bible is our primary source of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). We should be connected with our scripture and worship. 

The early church did not mention anything about a necklace. However, how it came to be is from the early Catholics who introduced the rosaries. The prayer beads are only used to connect with Jesus through prayer and to improve your faith with it. It is not just reciting the prayer over and over again. Instead, it brings us closer to God. We do not treat prayer as a habit but as a spiritual calling. 

Types of Prayer Necklaces

These are the different types of prayer necklaces from different religions.

Serenity Prayer Necklace

A serenity prayer necklace is a circle medallion-like chain. There are many of these necklaces online, and you can get them anywhere. Usually, it has inscriptions of motivational quotes or even quotes and verses from the Bible. This type of necklace usually comes to mind when you think of a prayer necklace. We would all agree that this is what a prayer necklace would look like. The usual shape of the piece is a circle, but it could also be other shapes like the cross sign. It just depends on who made the necklace. 

Mala Prayer Necklace

The mala prayer necklace originated from Hinduism and Buddhism faith. This necklace is an old tradition dating back 3,000 years. It also has beads and a broom-like shape on the necklace. The most significant piece of dots on the chain is called the guru. They believed that this prayer necklace would help you focus on your meditation. They said that the beads produce great energy when you meditate

This necklace is trendy in yoga and meditation. They have a deep understanding of tranquility and open-mindedness. They give you a sense of focus and peace when you let yourself flow with energy.

Prayer Box Necklace

These are usually made from silver and are pretty popular. It is a necklace with a small box on it. The box has all kinds of engravings on it. The way you use, it is that you would put your prayer requests on a piece of paper and fit it in the box. Maybe even a message to a fellow loved one or a significant other. It gives more sentimental value when you do this – carrying around a meaningful message to God. You keep it in the box, hoping God will heed your request. 

How Christians Use a Prayer Necklace

There is no right or wrong way how to use a prayer necklace. Because this is more on a personal level for Christians, it is up to you how you would use it. There is nothing exceptional about it; instead, it acts more like a placebo effect. It makes us feel that Christ can hear our prayer and save us from evil. 

Christians use the necklace as a way to get familiar with the scriptures. We all know that God’s words are beyond powerful and alive. Without it, we would be nothing; we are powerless. We pray with scriptures to use as a weapon. We use the words of God to fulfill His prophecy for us. And we use this for Christ to protect us from evil.  

Significance of Using a Prayer Necklace

These are some of the reasons why some people use these types of necklaces. 

It reminds us of God’s presence.

The feeling of Jesus’ presence is the most fulfilling moment in our spiritual lives. We Christians thrive on feeling that presence every day. Know that the Lord has never failed to make us think that He is with us and all-powerful. Jesus never fails to disappoint us, even if we feel like we do (Psalm 23:4). That doesn’t mean that it’s done on purpose; it is just that we don’t see the bigger picture. 

That is why most Christians have prayer necklaces with Bible verses on them. It assures them that the Lord is with them when they wear it. Also, it brings comfort to them since it has so much sentimental value. It is a physical reminder to us that Jesus is alive and with us at all times. 

Being intentional with God

Worshipping Jesus is the bread and butter of Christians. This is how we give thanks to the Lord for our gratitude. These necklaces not only provide style and design but also meaning. A prayer necklace is used for worship, whether it would be a cross or any Bible verse in particular. 

It sends a powerful message that you are not ashamed of your faith. Because you bring that pride and that necklace with you at all times. You become more mobile with your spirituality. You can praise God wherever you go. There is no wrong place or time to glorify Christ and His holiness. 

Reminder to pray for others

The greatest gift Christ has ever given us is being able to pray for others, even the ones who despise us. There is no greater love than praying for others, praying for your country and its future. The necklace gives you a habit of praying for others.

You could also gift people these necklaces as a way of gratitude. Giving them a chain will deepen your relationship because you can now pray for each other. Although you don’t need that necklace, it’s a token saying you care for that person. 

The Real Purpose of a Prayer Necklace for Christians

Remember that having a  necklace is not a way to prove your faith in God. It is not a way for Jesus to acknowledge you as a believer. The Lord never said anything about needing a prayer necklace, nor it was mentioned in the Bible. You don’t need jewelry for God to save you. 

Catholics, however, have a different story to it. In their belief, you need a rosary for your salvation. This is not the case in Christianity; you don’t need any physical materials for your salvation. You only need God to save you. 

Jesus has a deep and wide love for us that doesn’t run out. God will still love you even if you are sinful or faithful. He will still care for you even if you have forgotten about Him entirely. He will still be there for you if you pray daily. The choice of having a prayer chain is entirely up to you. There is nothing wrong with it. The point of a prayer bead is for personal use. 

Conclusion

Prayer is an essential spiritual discipline in the lives of Christians. Christian prayer necklaces are not required for salvation or faith in Jesus. You are not required to pray in a certain way to make God love you more than He already does. Prayer necklaces help you build a habit of praying with intentionality and purpose. Though prayer necklaces are not mentioned in the Bible, they are a great way to focus on God and add a little bit of fun and bling to our daily lives. 

EDITOR
Alex Shute
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.
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