In the letter of James, words matter deeply. Words are works that express our character to others and our relationship with God (1:19, 3:1-12). But it is what James calls the ‘implanted word’ (1:21) that is the foundation we build our lives as Christians. The implanted word is the word of God lived out in our lives. It is implanted when we do it, when it changes us. An important aspect of prayer we can forget is listening to God, and we listen to God chiefly in his word (1:22).  So, our daily efforts to open the Bible and grow in understanding it are part of our relating to God. Learning from God’s word and doing it is an act of prayer because it is the act of hearing him well.