Relational Prayer

Having a conversation with God.

What do you pray for? A new car, a better job, a cure for cancer, rain, sunshine, or a loved one’s answer to prayer? Does your prayer life consist of a wish list?  

Growing up Catholic, we needed to memorize specific prayers. (Apostles’ Creed, Act of Contrition, Hail Mary, Glory Be, The Lord's Prayer, etc.) These carry great value as they show us ways to express ourselves through prayer to God.  As a child, I never considered my private conversations with God a prayer time. My reciting a memorized prayer was a prayer offering to God. Said repeatedly lost its meaning for me. I didn’t even know I could ask God for things. My conversations alone with God were an intimate time with my heavenly father, where I worshiped and acknowledged his greatness and power. I would use that time to cry, laugh, and share how my struggles were making me feel. Through this, I developed a relationship with God, the creator of all things.

Today, as an adult, I realize how my prayers at bible study, church, and at the table in front of my granddaughter have become a wish list and consistent memorized structure of things I recite without total admissions.  I have been reminded how important an intimate relationship with God is in my prayer. Perhaps I can vacate my praying habits and start learning to worship God through prayer, even in front of others, demonstrating my cherished relationship.

Picture taken by Lisa Stenger (Landis Park, Plumsteadville, PA) It is a peaceful place to walk and be in God's presence for conversation.

When I worship God through prayer, I find comfort and peace knowing my creator hears me. I go before God and ask him to show me his will. “God, I screwed up today; make it obvious to me how to make amends with my friend”; “God, how can I carry this pain and handle my life in the midst of my suffering?”  It is not easy to see God use us in our suffering and to seek his will, not ours. While God allows for pain, it is what drives us to ask deeper questions. He is at work in us. Do you ever ask yourself, “How do I know if it is God’s will?” God’s Holy Spirit speaks to us through our consciousness. I often listen to my gut and where I tend to carry my Spidey sense.

Matthew 6:1-14 Jesus teaches us how to pray. (vs. 6) “…go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Now, if anyone says I asked God for the new car, and he didn’t give it to me, this is not what Jesus means by this statement.  We are asking for God’s will, not ours. He continues to tell the people (vs. 7-8), “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Then Jesus prays the words of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus’ instructions really made me think about how, where, and why I pray. Sometimes, my prayers certainly do not come out as a conversation with God.

Why should we trust what Jesus says about prayer? Eyewitnesses tell us in scripture how Jesus is consistently good, honest, kind, and spoke the truth in love. This unwavering goodness and love make him a reliable figure to turn to in prayer.  Even at his deepest sorrow on the sermon of the mount, he prayed for God’s will. In Jesus’ extreme pain of hanging on the cross with nails through his hands, he asks for God to forgive the people who crucified him, “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” (Luke 23:34) After this, Jesus died and rose from the dead. Again, there were eyewitnesses to his resurrection, and he walked among them on the earth again. I want to know, listen, and respect Jesus, for these things are documented as true events by those who have seen his miraculous work and resurrection. Because of this, I see how important it is to pray to an understanding God who is all-powerful and knowing. We find ourselves in the constant presence of the creator of all things.

Read: Matthew chapters 5-7.

How can you improve your relationship with God and your Savior Jesus Christ through prayer?

Start your conversation; he will be with you anytime and anywhere!