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Prayer is the cornerstone of Christian life. It is the precious time we spend with our loving God and deepens our relationship with him. The bible says:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)

We may have rituals and routines around prayer. These may be times of the day, days of the week, specific prayers we like to repeat, etc. They may be where we pray, e.g., in a particular place at home, at church, or outdoors. Perhaps we pray when we are doing the dishes, having a shower, walking, or driving. We may pray with friends or even with strangers.

Jesus demonstrated a lifestyle of praying and being in close contact with His Father. He would often go away to an isolated place to pray.

How do we commune with God when we pray? Do we quiet ourselves and concentrate on hearing His voice and discerning His presence? Are we spending time in the Word to grow closer to Him? Do we meditate on verses in scripture? Maybe we come with our concerns and ask His help? Perhaps we praise, worship and dance, giving thanks? Often we might ask Him how to speak and respond to others. Possibly we engage our imagination and visualise where Jesus would be in the room and what He might be doing? Do we pray over people for their concerns: physical, emotional, spiritual, relational and financial? Or perhaps we speak in tongues? Praying is as easy at talking to our best friend.

All prayer draws us into closer intimacy with God and is time well spent. It can powerfully change our lives, as we become highly attuned to God’s heart and hear His voice more clearly.

When we pray, do we come with our own ideas of how and when the issue should be dealt with? Do we presume to counsel our almighty God, creator of the universe, as to how He should fix the situation and provide the timeframe we consider appropriate? God has a far better plan than anything we could devise:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

The Disciples would have had many opportunities to ask Jesus to teach them about anything. However, there is only one recorded instance in the bible of this happening and interestingly, it was about prayer:

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”

Luke 11:1-4 (NKJV)

Calling heaven to earth and God’s perfect will to be carried out in any situation is a commanding decree. A prayer like this uses holy scripture as a basis to release angels on assignment to fulfill God’s purpose and heavenly solutions for the presenting issue. His answers to life’s difficulties are far beyond our human intellect. So, we release it to Him, knowing that God has this and will be with us and whomever we may be praying for through this. We leave the how and when to Him. Trusting that He is a good God who is aware of the intricacies of every situation, even before we ask. This removes the burden of worry, releases peace and the strength to continue on.

I encourage us all to speak to God at every opportunity throughout our day. The more time we spend in His presence the greater the love, peace and joy we receive to share with the world.

I hope you have enjoyed my blog. Please feel free to pass onto anyone you would like to. If you would like to comment or subscribe, please complete the section below. God bless you and your family.

References:

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB1995 – Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; – Bible Gateway
2. Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV – Now to him who is able to do – Bible Gateway
3. Luke 11:1-4 NKJV – The Model Prayer – Now it came to pass, – Bible Gateway
4. What Does the Bible Say About Praying? (openbible.info)
5. Photo courtesy of unsplash @ Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | Unsplash
6. (40) Talking To Jesus | Elevation Worship & Maverick City – YouTube