Doubts and fears must not keep us from prayer. God gives us the invitation, and He wants to hear from us. Here are some principles to keep in mind when we’re tempted to forget that we can tell it all to Him.
Our prayers must be rooted in the confidence that God is compassionate and willing to act on our behalf. His pure love for us can dissolve any insecurity we might feel about placing needs at His feet. We find great reassurance in the promises of His Word. Nothing is too big for God, because God is there, no matter how hard the situation.
We know God has the power to meet any request. We recognize His love and compassion. Yet sometimes we might still hesitate to pray, asking, “Could this great big God really be interested in my problems?” Even a brief look at the desperation surrounding so many in our world only strengthens these concerns. Yet we find great assurance in His promise that all needs take high priority in His eyes and that prayer offers a cure for everyday anxieties.
The Lord’s Prayer is our perfect guide when it comes to communication with our Father. This model prayer brings into focus a wide variety of needs, from physical provision to spiritual guidance. A phrase-by-phrase look at the prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13, helps us better understand how to focus our prayer lives.
-Our Father in heaven-There is a tenderness in God’s invitation that we address Him as “Father.” While formality and reverence are always appropriate, we must remember that prayer is intended to be a personal conversation between Father and child.
-hallowed be your name-This phrase powerfully complements the previous words. God is both our loving Father and our holy, almighty Lord. Imagine the God and Creator of the universe is intimately interested in our lives.
-your kingdom come-We’re called to embrace an eternal perspective when we pray. While very real needs press us, our greater concern must be God’s kingdom priorities.
-your will be done on earth as it is in heaven-This phrase has a twofold meaning: We pray that God’s commands will be obeyed and honored, and we pray that His plans for the world, salvation, and eternity will be accomplished.
-give us today our daily bread-Jesus invites us to trust His ability and willingness to provide for our needs. This phrase also presents us with a challenge to surrender ourselves to God’s care rather than trust our own abilities.
-forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors-Here Jesus moves to our relationships with God and others. When we’ve violated God’s plan for our lives, we must be willing to confess our sins and seek forgiveness. By the same token we also need to ensure that we’re not withholding forgiveness of others for their wrongs against us.
-lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one-Our lives involve real spiritual warfare, and prayer serves a big role in this battle. We must recognize our need for God as well as express a willingness to overcome trials and temptations.
The invitation is clear: Seek God for whatever needs you face.
-If you need healing? James 5:14-16
-If you need financial help? Philippians 4:14-19
-If you need help in a relationship? Psalm 34:18
-If you need direction? Jeremiah 29:11-13
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