Prayer is, basically, communicating with God. There are so many different ways we can pray:
- praying with words that someone else has written
- praying with your own words
- praying before meals, before bed, when you wake up, when you see an ambulance or fire truck with its sirens going, when you’re on a walk, when you’re driving
- praying when you’re happy, when you’re sad, when you’re angry
- praying through movement, whether sign language or dance or something less formal
- doodling or drawing or painting prayers
- forming playdoh or making LEGO structures as part of prayers
- writing prayer down in a prayer journal
- singing prayers
Jesus himself taught to show us WHAT to pray:
Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed is your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Given us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive the sins of others. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.
Right after that, he told another story to show us HOW to pray:
“Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.”
This is how Jesus encourages us to pray, with shameless persistence. What does that mean?
- Shameless means that you do not need to be shy or embarrassed to ask God.
- Persistence means that you do not need to ask only one time and then stop asking. Nope. You can ask over and over and over and over and over and over.
He pretty much tells us to go ahead and be as whiny or nagging as we like.
And this is why:
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Sometimes when we nag God in prayer and our motives are selfish, the door that gets opened is the door that shows us that we’re wrong. It’s not a comfortable door to open, but it’s a good one.
But if we nag God about things like giving us wisdom, or about helping us be more like Jesus, or about comforting us and others when we’re sad, or about bringing his justice and mercy to our world just like it is in heaven, then I am confident that we will find that.
LINKS
Here are some good suggestions for family prayer practices (these are all available as printouts in the Family Information Center upstairs by the Children’s Worship rooms):
Kids Corner Faith Practices for Families: Prayer
PRAYER DOWNLOADS
Lent Prayer Calendar: God Guides Us
