Saint Augustine on Prayer
Here are some ideas about prayer from St. Augustine where he speaks of how to know God is to praise him and this leads us to prayer.
Thou awakest us to delight in praising thee; for thou hast made us for thyself and our hearts are restless till they find rest in thee. (from The Confessions book 1, chapt. 1)
Grant, then, Lord, that I may know and understand whether first to call upon thee or to praise thee; whether first to know thee or to call upon thee. But who can call upon thee, not knowing thee? For he that knoweth thee not may call on thee as other than thou art. Or, is it rather, that we call on thee that we may know thee? But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe without a preacher?
Now, they shall praise the Lord who seek him, for those who seek shall find, and finding shall praise him. Thee will I seek, O Lord, calling upon thee; and I will call upon thee believing in thee; for to us thou hast been preached. My faith, Lord, calls upon thee: that faith which thou has given me, wherewith thou has inspired me, through the incarnation of thy son, through the ministry of thy preacher.