Most of us are familiar with the story in Matthew where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Many of us can recite, word for word, Jesus’ response in the following verses:
“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6: 9-13
In his book, Pray First, Pastor Chris Hodges gives examples of modeled prayers, such as The Lord’s Prayer. Jesus is giving us a blueprint of some key elements of prayer to help guide us in our own prayer life. Prayer was always meant to be a pillar in the life of those who follow Christ. After all, God’s word tells us in Ephesians 6:18 to pray all the time and in all kinds of ways!
There are often many questions when it comes to prayer. Some of the most common include the following:
- Why do we pray? Because God loves us and wants our relationship with Him to be personal.
- Where and when can we pray? Though we can pray anytime and anywhere, certain elements may help us get the most from our focused prayer time. These may include having a specific plan, a specific location free of disruptions and distractions, and a specific time.
- What to pray? God wants us to talk to Him. He wants to hear what is on our hearts. Have a conversation with God. One system to follow includes the following 4 steps: Praise God, confess your sins/ mistakes to Him, ask God to meet your needs, and pray for others.
- Who to pray for? (It may be helpful to focus on one category each day of the week.)
- Family
- School / Work
- Those who do not yet know Jesus
- Leadership
- The Church
- How to pray? A good method to follow includes starting your time with worship, moving into your prayer time, and ending with praise!
Praying as a family is a great way to introduce your young children to prayer and to continue to reinforce the power of prayer with your children. If you would like further resources on prayer, you may want to check out books such as Pray First and Pray First for Young Readers, both by Pastor Chris Hodges.
Our elementary school has been enjoying a three part chapel series entitled Called to Pray. If you have an elementary student, ask them what they have been learning! They also were all given a “Pray First” bracelet to remind them to go to the Lord in prayer.
If there are specific ways that we can pray for you, please let us know! Additionally, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association provides a free 24/7 prayer line at 1-855-255-PRAY (1-855-255-7729) or 1-888-388-2683
