Many Wednesday night prayer meetings I have attended bored me to death. (Did I just type that out loud?) Wanna know why? No? Well, I will tell you anyway. Because I cannot stand praying for someone's third cousin twice removed. What's his name? Oh, right. You can't remember? You just wanted something to say?
I hate to assume there are real and fake prayer requests, but it seems that way sometimes. The question remains then: What are we to pray like? Jesus makes that clear in scripture with a specific example when he tells us to pray like this:
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, 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.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, forthey think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, forthey think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
From Matthew 6 (ESV)
Jesus starts with adoration of the Father, then submits to His will, asks for needs to be met, asks for forgiveness, shows that He's already forgiven offenders, and ends with supplication--deliverance from temptation and evil.
How does this line up with your prayer life? I know every time I read this it convicts me. I don't pray like I ought or as often as I ought for that matter, yet God has changed my prayer life bit by bit as I realized that asking God to keep my family safe, for example, is not in this prayer. Is it wrong to ask God this? No, not really. Ultimately, I have realized I have little control over their safety, and I must trust Him. I have to see that no matter what may come, I have to accept His will. God will let my kids experience things I don't want them to in order to develop their character according to His will. I must trust Him. God will allow me to experience things that I don't desire (He already has given me my share, I feel), and I must trust Him to work through all things to glorify Himself. Again, I must trust Him. That must be my main desire. Is it? I ask myself. Is it yours?
As I ponder my prayer life and continue to ask Him to revamp it, I ask you to ponder this question with me: How's your prayer life? Are you praying according to His example found in scripture? Or are you praying gimme prayers? I, too, suffer from this plague at times. As I trod through valleys and soar above mountains in my Christian walk, God transforms my prayer life continually and faithfully. I pray that He will keep transforming it (and yours!), too.
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