How Do We Pray?

Matthew 6:9-12 “Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. 10 Your Kingdome come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” ~HCSB
 
We can go through a lifetime and wonder why God may have not answered some of our prayers. But if you really look at it, it may solely rest on HOW we may have prayed the prayer. For example, our children may ask us for a toy they don’t need. “Dad, I want some fireworks to set off!” We may respond, “Ok son, maybe one day.” With the intention of never giving them the fireworks.
 
The request was made with no real 'need' described.  Why would we buy our children something that explodes? The mere fact that it was possible to send my child to the hospital would be indication enough that they don’t need it. Did the child explain or describe how ‘fireworks’ would be a great addition to the family? You see this may seem a little funny looking at it from viewing a ‘fireworks’ situation, but now think about it when we request from God.
 
When we pray, do we weigh how our request will be good for the kingdom? Many of us don’t think about that. Most of the time we pray according to our own desires instead of our needs. This takes our focus away from concentrating on God’s intent and purpose for our lives; as it is lived in God’s will for control of this world.  I know, it seems a little deep, but it really isn’t. Prayer should be aligned with God’s will.  In other words, we should stick to praying for what is needed to live as a Christian in this world, instead of praying for what we want. Why? Because God knows what we want better than we do, and His ‘gift’ of our ‘wants’ is a whole lot better than anything we ‘think’ we want. 
 
So, how do we pray? There is really no set way to pray correctly because it is a prayer between us and God. But when we look at the Word of God and listen to Jesus as he tells us, Matthew 6 is a great blueprint in guidance. First, we want to acknowledge Who we are praying to. Our children come to us and say, “Daddy!”  “Mommy!”  And then they make their request known. We must do the same and say as verse 9 leads us, “Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy…” Allowing ourselves to show humility in gratefulness and thanksgiving by knowing that we are praying to God who will supply for all our needs.
 
Next, we acknowledge that our lives are lived in Jesus’ name and in His image. Verse 10 allows us to speak, what is done in heaven will be done on earth by us. Then we ask to supply for our needs in nutrition and life in verse 11.  In verse 12, ask that we be forgiven as we accept and forgive those who have wronged us. Living and acting in the image of Christ.
 
When we take these basic steps in our prayers before we even 'ask' in prayer, as Christians, it becomes hard to be selfish in that prayer. As we grow into the praying Christian we were created to be, this formula of prayer, taught to us by Jesus in this text, will become automatic in our lives. Watch, as the fruit of those prayers produce the promises that God promised Abraham.  And as heirs, we will inherit those promises.  Practice and grow in your prayers and watch God’s power work in you and through you.
 
May God continue to cover, guide, and heal you on your journey in Jesus’ name.
 
Amen 

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