Children start this life with the inability to form words. Only by practice and interaction with their caregivers, as they mature, do their conversations start to make sense to those around them and to themselves. And, as these conversations mature, so do they.
Oh, how this can be compared to us and how we mature as Christians! DAILY interaction with our Heavenly Father is essential to the Christian walk and our relationship with Him. As we talk to Him, that relationship not only grows between He and you, He and I, but we grow as well.
Don’t have time? Cannot get into the habit? Do you have a drive time to and from work? Use it to seek your Father. One of the best things that ever happened to me was the acquisition of a 50 minute commute! What a great time to open our hearts!
Do you get up or go to bed first before the family? Give God the first 5 minutes of your quiet time! Do you have a lunch time off the clock? Give God a little time before you take that first bite! There are a zillion ways to find the time, so I challenge you to examine your lives and give Him time – just as the sign in front of our church has said for a couple weeks, “What do you put before God?”
Not good at praying? We don’t have to be, God just wants us to talk to Him. Jesus gave us an example through the Lord’s Prayer that gives us an outline, so to speak.
For example:
“Our Father which art in heaven” (Appeal to God’s majesty, holiness, and dominion but also the personal and loving nature of a Father)
“Hallowed be Thy name.” (Revere God’s name when you pray)
“Thy kingdom come” (Pray that God’s kingdom is present in your heart and other Christ’s believers’ hearts)
“Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Pray that God’s will in this world may be accomplished through His guidance and our obedience to Him)
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Pray, acknowledging God’s ability to provide for our needs and ask for them)
“And forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Pray for forgiveness of sin and for those that sin against us)
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Pray that we are able to resist temptation, and protection from the strong pull of Satan)
“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen” (Again, appealing to the dominion, majesty, and eternal being that is our God)
So, a summary of Jesus’ prayer and how we can model ours after his?
1. Recognize God’s holiness and dominion
2. Revere His name
3. Pray For His reign through ours and other’s hearts
4. Pray that His work on this earth will flourish
5. Pray for His sustenance in our daily needs
6. Confess and ask for forgiveness of our sins and for those that may or have hurt us
7. Ask for protection from the evil of Satan
8. Again, recognize God’s holiness, dominion, and His eternal nature
In a book I recently read called “Lead Like Jesus”, it describes another method or framework to help us in our daily prayer time using the acronym “ACTS.” Yup, like the book in the Bible. Each letter in this word is used to describe your four basic parts of prayer:
1. A– Adoration —-Where all prayer should begin, telling the Lord you love Him and
appreciate Him for who He is.
2. C– Confession — We all must be convicted that we fall short of God’s glory. We
should confess to Him our inadequacies, asking for forgiveness.
3. T– Thanksgiving – During this part of your prayer, give God thanks for all He has
done for you since the last time you talked and all that He has done, is doing, and will
do in your life.
4. S —Supplication—This is the part of our prayers that most of us start with. (see
where it is in the order of things?).It is a big word for asking for what you need. Pray
first for others’ needs and then yours. According to the word, we can ask with
confidence.
A routine and dedicated attempt to pray, especially daily, will change your life. This is my challenge to all as we begin this New Year. Just TALK to Him!!
In Christ,
Tom