A Call to Prayer

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” 

Psalm 145: 18 NIV

When you hear the word “prayer” what images come to your mind?  Is it that of pastors praying over their flock?  Is it someone alone in their prayer closet?  Is it a congregation gathered in smaller groups of people and a heavenly rumble being raised to heaven.  Is it a group of women on living room floors pouring their heart out to the Father with all the requests of their hearts?  

The word “prayer” can sometimes bring questions, even hesitation: Am I doing it right? What do I say? Does God actually hear me? Prayer can feel intimidating or even distant, yet at its core, it is one of the most beautiful gifts we’ve been given—a direct, personal connection with our Creator. It is not reserved for the spiritually elite or bound by polished words; prayer is the ongoing, honest, and intimate conversation between our heart and God’s. Whether we come with praise or pain, celebration or confession, we are always welcomed. Through prayer, we are formed, heard, loved, and changed. And if prayer was essential to Jesus, it must become essential to us too.

What is Prayer

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.” 

Proverbs 15:8 Amp

Prayer, simply put, is having an intimate conversation with God.  It is an opportunity for us to communicate, to have direct access with the God of the Universe, our Creator.  Prayer is an opportunity for us to celebrate what He has done in our lives as well as cry out when things seem hard and overwhelming.  Prayer is not only a time for us to be able to pour out our hearts but also a time to intercede for others, to lift their needs before the Lord.  No matter what is in our heart, praise or pain, He delights in our presence with Him through prayer.  And make no mistake, God hears our prayers!

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them…”

Psalm 34:17a NIV

Why to Pray

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

Think about one of your best friends.  How did you become best friends?  Did you spend time together?  Did you have hours upon hours of conversations together?  What were they about?  Life? Family?  Work?  Struggles? Joys?  In order to create that deep friendship and love for another person, it required time and conversation.  God desires the same thing from us.  We were created by a relational God to be in relationship with Him.  Why would we withhold communication with our Creator, the One who designed us and knows our innermost thoughts?  

Prayer is our way of connecting with God.  It is our opportunity to express gratitude for what He has done in our lives and how He has provided.  We can praise Him for who He is.  It is an opportunity for us to acknowledge our sin before the Lord, to repent, to intercede for others, to seek guidance and wisdom, and ultimately to align our will with His will.  It’s not just about speaking to God; it’s about living with an open heart that is constantly turned toward Him.

Have you heard it said, “You are like the 5 people you spend the most time with?”  The more time we spend with God, the more we will start to look like Him, act like Him, think like Him, be more like Him.  And, if prayer was important to Jesus, then it absolutely should be important to us!

“The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was still dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer.”

Mark 1: 35 TPT

When to Pray

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 NIV

The answer to the question, “When should we pray?” may seem obvious - always - but it carries a depth that we cannot ignore.  To pray continually is to live with an open dialogue between our hearts and God’s, where nothing is too small, too messy, or too ordinary to bring before Him. The “when” of prayer becomes every breath, every burden, and every beat of a heart that longs to stay connected to its Creator.

Prayer isn’t meant to be a compartmentalized task we check off during morning devotions of before meals.  It is a continual posture of the heart, an ongoing awareness of God’s nearness and invitation to communicate with Him.  To pray at all times means that prayer becomes woven into the rhythm of everyday life, not just during emergencies or celebrations, but in the ordinary, unnoticed spaces of our routines. 

This kind of prayer life isn’t built in one moment.  It grows through intentional, consistent, simple moments; a whispered prayer while making coffee, a breath of gratitude on a walk, or a silent plea for wisdom during a meeting, journaling thoughts, situations or names of others that come to mind throughout the day.  These short, seemingly simple moments, helo build a lifestyle where prayer becomes as natural and vital as breathing.

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

How to Pray

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others…go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen…”

Matthew 6: 5a, 6a NIV

Prayer is not for us to try and impress others. Prayer is our connection with the Father. Jesus Himself taught us how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus’ model prayer, in Matthew 6: 9-13, offers more than words to recite, it reveals the heart of how we are invited to approach God. It begins not with requests, but with relationship: 

“Our Father.”  Prayer starts with recognizing who God is and who we are to Him; beloved children speaking to a holy, yet intimate Father. Jesus then centers us in worship and surrender: “Hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” This reorients our prayers away from self-centeredness and into alignment with God's purposes. Jesus is showing us that prayer is not about bending God’s will to ours, but about bringing our lives under His loving authority. The order of the prayer matters, it reminds us that all our needs, fears, and hopes find their proper place when we begin with God first.

From there, Jesus teaches us to pray with both dependence and humility: “Give us this day our daily bread.”  It’s an acknowledgment of our need, not just for physical sustenance, but for the grace and strength required to live each day faithfully. We then move into confession and forgiveness: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Prayer becomes a place of honest self-examination, where we bring our failures and wounds before God and ask for the courage to release the offenses of others. 

And finally, the prayer closes with a plea for spiritual protection: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  This is not fear-driven, but a recognition that apart from God’s guidance, we are vulnerable. “For thine is the kingdom, the power and glory forever, and ever, Amen.” Praying like Jesus means praying with confidence, surrender, honesty, and trust. His model prayer is a daily pattern for shaping not just our words, but our hearts, to seek first God’s glory, depend on His grace, and walk in His way.

Prayer Prompts

Spending time talking with the Father is a privilege we don’t want to neglect.  Jesus’ “Model Prayer” is one that we can practice on a daily basis.  You can begin with praising the Father for who He is, and then move onto submitting your will to His purpose, asking for provision trusting He will provide, acknowledging your sin before him with a repentant heart, protection from temptation and evil, and ending with more praise.  Whether this is written or spoken, following the pattern Jesus set for us is a wonderful way to grow in Him.

Another tool for prayer this week can be the ACTS method for praying.  The ACTS prayer model is a simple way to structure your prayers, guiding you through four key elements: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. It's a framework to help organize your thoughts and deepen your connection with God. 

Adoration: This involves praising God for who He is, acknowledging His attributes, and glorifying Him.  It’s about focusing on God’s character and recognizing His greatness.  

Confession: This is a time to be honest with God about your sins and shortcomings, seeking His forgiveness.  It’s an acknowledgement of your sin and need for GOd’s grace and mercy.

Thanksgiving:  This is expressing gratitude to God for His blessings, both big and small, along with all His provisions in your life.  Once you get started, sometimes it’s hard to stop!

Supplication: This is where you bring your requests and needs before God, where you ask for guidance, help and provision.  It’s about humbly presething your requests before God, trusting His wisdom, and expecting Him to respond.

However you decide to pray to the Father, know this; He just really wants to spend one on one, fully present, uninterrupted (if at all possible) time with you!

“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7