“Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18)

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The Bible has a lot to say about prayer. In Matthew 6: 9-13, Jesus gave a pattern for prayer to His followers, teaching them to approach God with sincere praise for who He is. As we bring our requests to God, we trust Him to provide “our daily bread”. As we confess our sins, we ask Him for forgiveness and for help to avoid temptation.

But we aren’t limited to praying the “Lord’s Prayer.” God wants us to pray “all kinds of prayers” on “all occasions”. Praying is vital for our spiritual growth, and it gives us the opportunity to be in continual conversation with Him every day.

As we approach God with humble hearts that yearn to talk with Him, may He help us know and love Him better.

Daily Questions

1. How does God view the humble prayers of His children that may be less than eloquent?
2. How can you make prayer a part of your daily life?

Daily Thoughts

Father, thank You for the blessing of prayer and Your acceptance of us whenever we call on You.

Matthew 6: 9-13

This, then, is how you should pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Bonus Information

Thought most of us are very familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, the Gospels contain several other prayers of Jesus. In John 17, we read Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer uttered on the night of His betrayal and arrest. After praying for Himself, Jesus prays for His disciples and for all believers. He asks the Father to protect the church, sanctify it, and cause it to grow. Jesus also prays three short prayers on the cross.

Other prayers of Jesus include a prayer of thanks, a prayer before raising Lazarus, and a prayer after entering Jerusalem. Moreover, Jesus often withdrew from others to spend time in prayer with His Father. He exemplifies what it means to “pray continually”.