Prayer and meditation. Why bother?

Sometimes people talk a lot about prayer and meditation as a means of changing one's sensory or emotional state, feeling close to God, getting to know God, feeling God's loving embrace, you get the idea. That's nice! But you need to know not everyone who puts time and energy into prayer and meditation will feel anything at all. Let alone feel better ...

What is the point? The point of prayer and meditation is finding out what God wants me to do today, including the 'how': the attitude to adopt in each of these activities. Any serious prayer and meditation will yield these.

And when a person simply gives up and serves God, 24 hours a day, the feelings take care of themselves. One may or or may not get to know God, feel God's presence, etc., but if you're doing good by acting right, it does not matter any more.

Prayer and meditation are not about having a special relationship with God or getting high. They're about getting direction and fuel for the day. That's what conscious contact is.