Why Should We Pray?

Silhouette of woman praying

The Bible tells us, "Don't worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done."

For many, however, the idea of talking to God can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be, in fact, prayer can be a wonderful experience if we know how to do it God's way.

• Fortunately, we have God's Word to teach us how to pray, and it tells us to pray at all times, in any posture, in any place, and for any reason.

• It does not matter whether you pray in big flowing Biblical terms or in the most down to earth ill spoken words. God only desires that you pray from a pure and sincere heart.

Matthew 26: 36-44

Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, "Sit here while I go on ahead to pray." He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father? If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."


Praying at Gethsemane

Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Couldn't you stay awake and watch with me even one hour? Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak?"

Again He left them and prayed, "My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away until I drink it, your will be done." He returned to them again and found them sleeping, for they just couldn't keep their eyes open.

So he went back to pray a third time, saying the same things again.

The disciples observed the profound effect prayer had in Jesus' life and ministry.
They witnessed how Jesus would often go off by himself to spend time in prayer with his heavenly Father.
They saw the power, peace, and tranquility that emanated from his life, giving him the ability to stay calm in troubled circumstances. Jesus' prayer life so impressed these men that they asked him to teach them to pray (the prayer he taught them is know as the Lord's Prayer)

Our Father who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen

• If the perfect Son of God often took time to pray during his life here on earth, how much more do we, mere men and women, need to pray?

• When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he made it clear that they were not to show off, nor were they to babble on in an attempt to get God to respond to them. Instead, they were to present their request simply and honestly, since God already knew their needs before they even asked.

Three Girls Praying
In Jesus' sample prayer (commonly called the Lord's Prayer) we see that he began by giving honor to God and praying for God's will to be done.

Then he very directly asked God to meet our daily needs and to forgive our sins.

Finally, he prays to be rescued from the evil one.

We do not need to use this exact prayer every time we pray, but we should always pray with the same honesty and simplicity that this prayer displays.

I pray that God will use my blog to bless someone
Mimi