Learning to pray is an important part of any Christian's life. Prayer is a vital aspect of our walk with the Lord. Sometimes we view prayer as . . . that thing we do when life gets tough. But, we are called to pray daily, even continually, in all circumstances. We are called to live a life-style of prayer.
Often people think that they must use memorized prayers or special words or language . . . all the Thee's and Thou's . . . think Shakespearean or King James-ish "churchy" language. Some also worry about the proper posture . . . hands raised, on their knees, face down, hands folded, head bowed, eyes closed, etc. It's not so much about the words you say or the physical posture you take, rather it's more about the condition and the "posture" of your heart.
When it comes to learning how to pray, I think of two events in particular from Jesus' life.
The first is in Luke
18:9-14. Jesus tells a story of two men
at the temple. The first is very
religious, self-righteous and prideful, praying to God . . . going on and on
about all the good things that he does in life – basically thinking that if
he’s good enough, then God will accept him.
The second man stands at a distance and is unwilling to even lift his
eyes to heaven as he prays. Instead he
beats his chest and prays, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” That’s it . . . simple, short, but so
powerful. Jesus says that the humble
sinner went home justified before God, not the other man.
As we come
before God in prayer, it begins here . . . in humble acknowledgement of our sin
and our need for God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness. We are sinful – God is holy. Even our righteous deeds are like filthy
rages to Him. God says through the
prophet Isaiah that He looks to those who are humble and repentant in spirit
[Isaiah 66:2]. This is what the attitude
of our heart must be as we come before a holy God in prayer.
The second
example is when the followers of Jesus ask Him to teach them to pray [Luke
11:1-4]. I’m sure you know this . . .
the Lord’s Prayer. It’s also found in
Matthew 6:9-13. This example is also
very simple (it’s funny how we tend to make things so overly complicated). Jesus begins with a humble statement about
God: Our Father in heaven, your name is
holy. He then prays for some
specifics: God’s will to be done, daily
provision, forgiveness, and deliverance from temptation. This is a great model for us. No need for flowery language or special words
or memorized prayers – just simple heartfelt expressions to God.
". . . pray about everything. Tell God what you need,
and thank him for all he has done." [Philippians 4:6; NLT]
Here’s an
acronym that many people use for prayer (it’s a good beginning point and not original with me): A.C.T.S. – Adoration, Confession,
Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
Adoration – praise God for who He is .
. . like Jesus did as he began in his prayer:
Our Father in Heaven, holy is your name.
Speak of His greatness, His majesty, His glory. Proclaim that He alone is worthy to be
praised. The Book of Psalms would be a
great place to find some more examples.
Confession – it’s that idea of humble
acknowledgment of your need for God’s forgiveness. “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.”
Thanksgiving – there is so much to be
thankful for! Express those things to
God.
Supplication – this is a “churchy” word
that simply means making requests of God.
Like Jesus did. Pray for God’s
will to be done in your life and in your family. Pray for God’s provision and protection. Bring your needs to Him.
A.C.T.S. – It’s an easy outline
to remember and a great way to begin the discipline of prayer.
It's important to remember also that when we come to God, we do so through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said that no one comes to the Father except through him [John 14:1-6]. Scripture also tells us that there is but one mediator between God and man . . . and that is Jesus Christ [I Timothy 2:5]. This is true when we come to God for anything, whether that is salvation, forgiveness, or even in daily prayer. We come to God through Jesus Christ. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can now have access to God through Him. And, we can "approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" [Hebrews 4:16].
Worship Minister, Gateway Christian Church - www.gcch3.com
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