It seems to me that a Prayer has 3 main components: Praise, Thanks, & Favours.
Praise is the mention of the Supreme Being by name with all the relevant adjectives and other names such as Almighty, or The Great Thunder in the Sky. Mention in brief some powerful acts in the deity’s CV like raining bread in the desert or a lightning strike that divided a disputed tree into 3 equal portions, or the car braking in time last week avoiding a surely fatal head-on-collision.
Thanks is acknowledging what the person praying has— all because of the Supreme Being; peace of mind, life, a body in full working order, peace in the country and so on. The little things matter.
Favours is the most important part. After the Supreme Being has been given due praise and thanks, it is only fair that the person praying asks for a few things. Quid pro quo; the give to get principle. If there is a big event, then a sacrifice is given. A white goat might be slaughtered, or one-tenth of income given to an earthly organization representing heaven, some incense burned, or seven virgins sacrificed on top of a pyramid.
But usually the favours are just for the little things. You can ask for rain or a successful war raid, a promotion at work, a job offer, a miracle in the hospital, protection from enemies… People always want something and a divine helping hand goes a long way to set things in order.
Once the Favours have been mentioned, bring up some other Praise and Thanks just in case the favours are becoming too much. Add to that, a few concessions for when favours are granted in the form of an IF… THEN… OR statements or a FOR…THEN…OR statements… And finish with some more Praise and Thanks. You know, just to be sure. There, prayer done successfully.
Have I left something out?
Unreliable Narrator 