#3 Practicing Devotion to God- Pray

The third practical way to experience love and commitment to God is to PRAY. The Bible is filled with people talking, communing, listening and responding to God in prayer. Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah to conceive as she was barren, Hannah prayed rejoicing as God gave her a son to love, David prayed for protection and guidance as he fled from Saul, Solomon prayed for wisdom to rule the people, Nehemiah prayed for the restoration of Jerusalem, Jonah prayed from the belly of the fish, Jesus prayed many times to commune with His father while here on Earth, the Apostles prayed for guidance in presenting the gospel and encouraged all believer to pray constantly. These are just a few examples of the who, when and why people prayed.

We often think of prayer as me talking and God listening. All of the above knew that God was accessible in prayer and that He would answer with guidance, hope, love and compassion. In Psalm 16: verses 7, 11 David reveals how he feels about prayer. “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” ” You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” David received God’s guidance and counsel as God laid on his heart what he should do. God revealed the right pathway in life to him.

Jesus instructed us on prayer in Matthew 6: 5-13. He told us what not to do in verse 5,7-8 and then what to do in verses 6, 9-13. Do Not “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ” ⁷“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Do “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
¹⁰Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us this day our daily bread,
¹²and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.”

Prayer is personal as you alone can speak with Almighty God and lay your concerns, hopes, dreams and desires before Him. As you learn to trust Him, He will reveal His will and desires to you. Psalm 37:3,4 are some of my favorite verses and I pray and claim them often. “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.⁴Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Talk with God, trust Him with the desires of your heart, keep on doing good and be safe in His arms.