Teach Us to Pray!

 

“Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11: 1 NIV84)

            You may know that you should pray, and you may even have a desire to pray, but do you know how to pray?  Sometimes, the thought of approaching the throne of our Creator can be overwhelming, but prayer is simply a conversation with a trusted Friend.  Don’t let fear keep you from enjoying that intimate relationship with our Father, a relationship that we all need, and He desires.

            There is no magic formula for prayer.  Abraham pleaded, Jacob demanded a blessing, David praised, and Solomon sought His continuing mercy.  In the model prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to glorify the Father, seek His will, petition Him for their daily needs, and ask for forgiveness and freedom from temptation.  He also encouraged them to persevere in their prayers.  All these prayers were different, but they were alike in one way – each was a conversation with a faithful Father, righteous Savior, and trusted Friend.

            Still, some tools can assist you in maximizing your prayer life.  You may want to write out your prayers or make lists of people and requests that you want to bring before the Lord.  For you, a prayer journal or notebook might be a crucial part of your prayer life.  Another tool is the Prayer Wheel, which teaches you to include worship, meditation, and reading God’s Word in your conversations with God.  You can access it at https://zume.training/how-to-spend-an-hour-in-prayer/.

            One of the simplest tools that you can use is the acronym “ACTS”.

            “A” is for adoration.  Begin your prayers with praise and adoration for God.  Come with reverence and awe, giving Him the praise, honor, and worship that He deserves.

            “C” is for Confession.  Perhaps the logical response to that time of worship is to consider our sinful nature in stark contrast to His righteousness and take the time to confess to Him our sins.  We are Christians, but that does not make us perfect.  We are still plagued by our sinful flesh, and we daily fall short of the person God called us to be.

            “T” is for Thanksgiving.  God is righteous and holy. Those attributes make our unworthiness stand as a visual reminder of His grace.  This realization should lead us from a time of confession to a time of thanksgiving.  Consider how God has moved and continues to move in your life.  Count your blessings, remembering that “every good and perfect gift is from above…” (James 1: 17b NIV84).

            “S” is for Supplication.  Only after we acknowledge who God is, admit our sins, and give Him thanks for our blessings, are we ready to seek His help with the various “needs” of our lives.  In doing so, we must remember that our desires or “needs” must be consistent with His will (I John 5: 14, 15).  Life won’t be perfect, but we can rest in the confidence that God is faithful, and He will carry us through. 

            These are the basics of an intense, focused time with God.  However, Paul makes it clear that prayer is not a “one-and-done” proposition.  He challenges us to “pray continually” (I Thessalonians 5: 17 NIV84). There is no other friend that you can talk to at any moment in time.  Don’t waste that precious gift.  At the same time, don’t allow those simple moments to replace a dedicated time of focused prayer and praise.  Communion with God is a special gift, and He wants you to take full advantage of it.

            Next time, we’ll consider how we should approach the Throne of God.  I hope you’ll join us.

Psalm 19

I John 1: 8

I John 5: 14, 15

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