Praying - Communion with God
Author: Phil Bray, Senior Pastor at MaconFBC | Posted April 2, 2024
How do I live in the presence of God? What do I do in His presence? Pray. The life of a follower of Jesus is one characterized by prayer (Mk 11:17; cf. 2 Cor 6:16-18). Followers of Jesus are commanded to devote themselves to prayer (Col 4:2), to pray without stopping (1Thess 5:17), to labor earnestly for one another in prayer (Col 4:12). Jesus was continually slipping away by Himself to pray during His earthly ministry. He needed and craved communion with His Father. Think of it this way, Jesus is the image of God, who has given us a visible example of how to live as image bearers of God; meaning, we need and crave communion, so in His presence, we, too, must give ourselves to prayer, a most holy and precious activity.
How do I do this, you may ask? Many people struggle with prayer. They do not know how to do it. They want to do it, but struggle with the how. If this is how you feel, you are not alone. Even Jesus’ disciples struggled with how to pray. That is why Jesus taught them to pray by giving them an outline to guide their thoughts and requests to God (Matt 6:9-13). The Lord’s Prayer is a model, an outline to help frame your thoughts. Prayer is simply talking to God. The Lord’s Prayer provides us with an outline to help us stay focused as we approach God’s throne for help in time of need.
Another way to pray is by utilizing Psalms. The Psalms are themselves prayers. As you read through these prayers, you will see the wrestling of these ancient saints with feelings, frustrations, and fears of their own. Psalms can serve as a guide or springboard to help you talk to God, allowing you to express your own pain, fears, frustrations, praise, and joy. Donald Whitney has written a superb little book, Praying the Bible, to help people learn how to use the Psalms and other passages in the Bible as a guide to prayer. I highly recommend it.
Remember that prayer is simply talking to your heavenly Father. What do you talk to your dad about? How do you approach your father? I recognize that not everyone has had an approachable or loving father; however, there are many who have. That experience has taught them to have the assurance and confidence that their father loves them unconditionally. There is a deep comfort knowing that your dad loves you and wants the best for you. There is a deep joy knowing that your dad delights in providing for you, helping you, and encouraging you. Remember, this is even more true about God. He delights in our cries for help. He delights in helping us. His love is displayed in giving us Jesus! If He gave us Jesus, how will He not now give us all the things that Jesus has purchased for us at the cross (Rom 8:32)? He will!
Finally, the best way to learn to pray is by praying with others. Pray with your spouse, a group of friends, and even your children. We learn to pray like we learn to talk. Toddlers listen and mimic the words of their parents and older siblings. We learn to talk to God in the same way. As we listen to others and mimic their example, we, too, will soon be roaming the paradisal hills of communion with God.
How do I do this, you may ask? Many people struggle with prayer. They do not know how to do it. They want to do it, but struggle with the how. If this is how you feel, you are not alone. Even Jesus’ disciples struggled with how to pray. That is why Jesus taught them to pray by giving them an outline to guide their thoughts and requests to God (Matt 6:9-13). The Lord’s Prayer is a model, an outline to help frame your thoughts. Prayer is simply talking to God. The Lord’s Prayer provides us with an outline to help us stay focused as we approach God’s throne for help in time of need.
Another way to pray is by utilizing Psalms. The Psalms are themselves prayers. As you read through these prayers, you will see the wrestling of these ancient saints with feelings, frustrations, and fears of their own. Psalms can serve as a guide or springboard to help you talk to God, allowing you to express your own pain, fears, frustrations, praise, and joy. Donald Whitney has written a superb little book, Praying the Bible, to help people learn how to use the Psalms and other passages in the Bible as a guide to prayer. I highly recommend it.
Remember that prayer is simply talking to your heavenly Father. What do you talk to your dad about? How do you approach your father? I recognize that not everyone has had an approachable or loving father; however, there are many who have. That experience has taught them to have the assurance and confidence that their father loves them unconditionally. There is a deep comfort knowing that your dad loves you and wants the best for you. There is a deep joy knowing that your dad delights in providing for you, helping you, and encouraging you. Remember, this is even more true about God. He delights in our cries for help. He delights in helping us. His love is displayed in giving us Jesus! If He gave us Jesus, how will He not now give us all the things that Jesus has purchased for us at the cross (Rom 8:32)? He will!
Finally, the best way to learn to pray is by praying with others. Pray with your spouse, a group of friends, and even your children. We learn to pray like we learn to talk. Toddlers listen and mimic the words of their parents and older siblings. We learn to talk to God in the same way. As we listen to others and mimic their example, we, too, will soon be roaming the paradisal hills of communion with God.