I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m sitting down to pray I find it hard not to just talk at God and go through the same old list of prayers. Yes they are important topics and close to my heart, but it feels like I’m rabbiting on and giving God little space to say anything. I have been prayed for by others who pray differently to me. Some seem to think God is deaf and shout their prayers often in my ear. It’s as if the loudness will make all the difference. Others want to push me onto the floor. Yet some, who prayed for me just this week, were quiet, sincere and very much listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I must say, I like their way of prayer. There is of course the encouragement from scripture to be persistent in prayer. In Luke 18 Jesus tells us about the widow who didn’t give up but pestered a judge and finally got her request heard and acted on. ‘How much more will God listen to us and act on our prayer,’ Jesus said. We don’t have to shout at God or try to push Him around; we just have to be sincere and passionate. While repetition in prayer is ok it needs to have depth and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I want to know when and how to pray for something aching in my heart and sometimes the Holy Spirit gives me that prompting if I’m willing to stop pushing through the list and listen. I’m encouraged that the disciples faced this very human predicament. Jesus gave them a way forward. Today I’m hoping to share that suggestion of Jesus with you. He called it a way to prayer, we call it the Lord’s Prayer. May the Lord encourage you today in your relationship with Him through prayer.
Blessings Rex (Elder) .