Church Directory
“Meaningful Prayer Converstaion With God”
Pastor Barry Klein, Staples Church of Christ
I wonder if we all at some time or another wonder about prayer and even are disappointed in our attempts at prayer. Let’s start with what prayer is.
Prayer is a two-way visit with God. As with all good communication, it involves good listening skills. God listens to us perfectly. We struggle with listening well to God. That likely will not surprise us when we are open to being honest. After all, we (or at least I do) struggle with being a good listener without being distracted. Ask my beloved wife. If we struggle with human listening, it then will not surprise us when we struggle to listen to God.
One theologian said, “intent precedes content.” We need to sincerely want to listen to God before we have anything worthy to share back with Him. After all, God knows everything. In comparison, we know very little. So, we would all do well to “tune in” to what God thinks about anything and everything. Proverbs 28:9 is very frank when we jump first to our requests (demands?) before we praise Him, come humbly before Him in our struggles and sin and then thank Him for His extreme generosity.
I wonder if we’re aware of just how much God wants us to be in conversation with Him? In Revelation 5:8 we hear, “And when He had taken (the scroll), the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” Please pause to reflect on that last phrase. Do we realize that every conversation of people who personally know God are collected, whether we’re aware of it or not?!! That’s because even when we’re not thinking God is listening to us, He is.
No wonder the longest book in the Bible, the Psalms, is full of prayers. And there are many other prayers recorded throughout the Bible. God savors our communication with Him.
Because prayer conversation with God is relational, it can never be reduced to a formula. We know that the Pharisees were rebuked by Jesus for their canned, unintentional prayers (See Matthew 5:6). So, prayer is freeing when we can just come honestly before Him in His Presence that embraces us.
So, when we read verses like I Thessalonians 5:17 “pray continually,” let’s hear that as God’s invitation to listen to Him first. Then, we can be propelled to express our lives to Him in His awaiting and attentive Presence where He already knows what we will say. But, like a loving parent, He wants to hear it all from us. He is our loving Heavenly Father. After listening to Him, talk freely to Him. He IS waiting for you.