One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” —Luke 11:1
you’re wondering how God wants us to pray, you’re not alone. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them so they could best communicate with God. Perhaps it does not come naturally to us because we are impure beings or maybe we are overwhelmed at the glory of God. Either way, we must learn to reach out to God through prayer. Elijah, the apostle Paul, and Jesus all give examples and directions on how to pray. Prayer should be close to us always. King David and Daniel both spoke to God three times per day: in the morning, at noon and the evening. Paul said to pray “without ceasing.” We must remember to come to the Father daily, and not only when things are difficult. It may be easier to consider prayer a state of being rather than a separate activity. With praise for others, we are exalting and engaging in a kind of prayer. When we lift our voice in song, we are praying. And when we close the door to our prayer closets, our prayer becomes more personal. During that time alone, focus less on how long that prayer should be and more on what you need to say. Jesus spent the entire night praying when He was choosing disciples, but many other examples contain only a handful of words. Pray until the burden on your heart has been given to God. Other people are hesitant about what to pray for. God wants to build a relationship with us, so pray for everything. He will never tire of hearing from you. Today, find some quiet time and simply talk to God. When your heart and spirit are in the right place, there’s no wrong way to pray.
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