Prayers

---

Keep It Simple
By Dan Blankenship



One of my favorite parts of the Bible is when Jesus instructs us concerning prayer. In Matthew 6:5-13 (NIV), Jesus tells believers to pray behind closed doors and to not “keep on babbling like pagans” when we address our Heavenly Father. Jesus goes on to inform us that “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Jesus makes it perfectly clear that our prayers need not be technical or longwinded. He was in essence saying, “Keep it simple.”

I believe our faith, our love, and our passion for the Creator should inspire us to pray for His will to always be done. If we walk close to God, as when we walk close to anyone, we can understand His will, His character. I know what things my friends and family desire because I have a personal relationship with them. And Christians, through reading the Bible and meditating on God’s word, find themselves in a one on one relationship with the Lord.

When I ask my wife or children for a favor, I do not need to spend a lot of time formulating my request. I simply ask for what is needed; a quick and sincere appeal for help. It is the same with praise. I don’t need to tell my children a thousand times how proud of them I am. If I am sincere in my proclamations, repetitiveness is not quite as necessary.

God knows how we feel about Him. He is omnipotent. Our praise, worship, and dialogue confirm that we understand His authority. We realize our purpose is to give Him glory. When we pray just so that others may hear, we undermine the relationship God has commanded us to walk in. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” Jesus commands in Matthew 22:37 (NIV). We can’t do that when we are focused on impressing others when we worship. Our focus must be on our Heavenly Father and the one He sent to save us.

Keep is simple. Keep it focused. And keep your pride on the backburner when seeking dialogue with the Lord. Your connection will not leave you asking, “Can you hear me now?”

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE