Throughout the day, most of us have a lot to say. Among all the words we use only a small number represent meaningful conversation. If we were to write them all down on a paper, how many pages would reflect the words we exchange with God daily?
Our Lord encourages us to “pray without ceasing”.
Prayer should not be only that alone time in the wee hours of the morning (which is necessary and commendable).
Prayer should not be only a grace said before a meal.
Prayer should be a lifestyle, a thinking-style. It should be weaved through our day as we park the car, as we finish a meal, as we put our feet up to relax, as we do life.
A Prayer Looking Up
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to start our focus in prayer by magnifying Him “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”
Let’s bring our wow’s. Let’s marvel at His character, at who He is and how He’s been faithful in our life in small ways and in big things. “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all he has compassion on all he has made.” Psalm 145-8-9
Let’s bring our aha’s, “I get it Lord!”. I get that You desire obedience from me. I get that I need to submit to Your will being done, not mine.
Let’s get in the habit of saying thank you for the little things, for the beautiful things, even for the uncomfortable things. “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30
A Prayer Looking In
We should rejoice in the fact that God encourages us to also communicate to Him about what weighs heavy on our hearts.
Let’s bring our ouches before Him in prayer, the things that hurt us the most. “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” James 5:13
Let’s bring our oopses before Him in prayer remembering that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Let’s bring our oh no’s before Him, things that scare us and make us anxious “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
In Conclusion
As we find ourselves talking to Jesus, do we tend to have a whimper in our voice? As we bring our ouches, our oopses, and our oh no’s … and somehow we have a lot of those … it’s easier to whimper rather than lament over our sin, it’s easier to whine rather than plead for His mercy, it’s easier to whale in panic rather than cry out in faith for help.
God tells us to bring it all in prayer “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4:6
My prayer: Lord, please help me today not to whimper as I talk to You, but to genuinely offer you my broken and repentant heart, to joyfully adore You, and to willingly embrace what You will bring my way. Please help me not to be self-focused, but to bathe in prayers my family, my unsaved friends, even the rulers of the countries you will place on my heart. “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, oh LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen!
Read and Meditate: Matthew 6:9-13
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”