3 Ways on How God Wants You to Pray

As we are mostly aware, a conversation is formed by two or more people. Whether close friends, the best of friends, just friends or mere acquaintances. I have learned that it is the same with prayer.

Special thanks to Tom Holladay’s book: Relationship Principles of Jesus.

Many of us mistake prayer as an activity: an act to do before/after meals; before bedtime, before driving. Some also think of it as an emergency button. Something to be pushed in times of desperation, emergency or need. Others think of it as a way to adjust how God thinks. Still some of us however, think of it as a duty, a part of his or her daily routine in order to be good.

Comparing it with our daily conversations, many of us only talk with our seatmate because we didn’t hear what the teacher said about an assignment. Others only had a talk with a colleague because he/she is in very good terms with your superior. And still some only had a conversation with a vendor because he/she is a famous gossiper.

You see, sadly I learned that many of us have shallow conversations with God because we’re used to having this type of conversations everyday. We become too busy and hectic with our own schedules and agendas that we tend to neglect the fact that we had not communicated with God, or not really. We forget the fact that He is very much involved in our lives; our Father and the Lord Almighty.

In Luke 18 verse 1 and Luke 11 verses 5-13, Jesus shares 2 parables of contrast of what God is not. He talks about a Parable of the Persistent Widow pleading to an ungodly judge for justice and an unhelpful friend who wouldn’t lend bread for a friend. At the same time, Jesus teaches how to pray without ceasing.

The widow chose to be persistent with her plea for justice and so the judge agreed. The friend chose to ask for bread with audacity and so his neighbor got up from his bed and gave him. Our choices count.

1. Be Persistent. Remember when you were 8 and you wanted so bad to go to the amusement park and so you pleaded with your parents to bring you? You gave them all sorts of reasons as to why you wanted to go. You also most probably asked more than at least 5 times, am I right? You kept doing so until your mom said yes or when your dad told you, you can’t. In short, you only stopped when you received an answer.

When we were young, we persisted our parents for something we want because we know that only they can answer and satisfy what want. We depend on them. So why is it that now, when we are older, we forget that God is dependable and He answers ALL our prayers?

Is it because we fear He won’t answer our petty requests? Or perhaps God is not capable of the impossible?

2. Be confident. To answer the first question, we find Luke 11: 9-10, Jesus says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

For the second question, we have Luke 1: 37 (NASB) “For nothing is impossible with God.”

Confidence has a lot to do with trust if you ask me. Trust has a lot to do with understanding. Understanding only comes when you personally have a relationship with God. So we go back to basics: do you have a personal relationship with God? If yes, then great. If no, then I would understand that this would be quite a big step. But still, I personally encourage you to take it for you will be surprised with what God can do with you. For those that have, please bless our readers and share.

Confident prayers come with expectations. Just like when you call a close friend and asks her to call you back. You expect a call or an answer. Pray expectantly.

3. Be Reverent. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, he started with “Our Father, who are in heaven, Holy be Your Name”. Jesus revered His dad. Note that He has a personal relationship with Him to start with. Then Jesus acknowledges that God is in the realm of power and control. I like how Tom Holladay pictures heaven this way. God is bigger than what you and I could ever imagine. You are talking to the God of the universe, the Creator of all, how then can He not be honored and praised?

We each have our own conversational style when we talk with our friends and loved ones. In this day and time, with the help of technology, we even have different modes too. God however, has no form or style that He prefers. You don’t even have to worry about timing.

God welcomes you to pray. Talk with Him today.

via h3sean.com

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