“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7 ESV)

We don’t want our only times of prayer to be those times when we are in pain, experiencing sorrow or deep loss. Prayer really is intended to be a daily, in-every-moment type of activity. We know from Jesus’ example that prayer was a constant for Him. He prayed in the midst of ministry, He got up early before anyone else to pray, He prayed when He was tired and He prayed when He was sad. He prayed to comfort others and He prayed to be strengthened Himself. Prayer happens on all sorts of days in all manner of occasions, and those days, weeks and months of prayer add up to a wonderfully secure foundation and a solid relationship.

Because it’s not the action of prayer that matters, rather it’s who we are praying to. I have had conversations with people who have cobbled together their own personal religion and others who have stood alongside the mainline Christian groups and there is a marked difference in what their prayer lives look like.

Christians in prayer don’t pray just to be centered and to meditate. But we can. Christians in prayer don’t pray just to distract themselves from what is going on around them, but they can seek comfort and guidance from a source greater than themselves. Christians in prayer don’t pray to a man-made statue hoping that some god or spiritual force may hear them and somehow move. Christians pray to the Living God who hears every heart cry of His children. Christians don’t pray hoping their works will earn the way of their words to the ears of God. We pray knowing that Jesus Christ stands as our mediator and that the Holy Spirit even translates the feelings we cannot put into words, and that through that, every corner of our heart mind and soul is open to conversation with the Creator of the universe. Prayer isn’t some mental exercise for us, some practice at higher consciousness. It is conversation with our Redeemer and Lord even in the midst of our humility and lowliness. We don’t have to transcend any plains of consciousness or dupe ourselves in order to ‘make prayer work.’ Instead, we stand confident, affirmed that the One who loves us most hears us as we lift up His Name.

Love paves the way, grace makes it possible and there’s nothing we ‘do’ that earns us that right. Prayer is a gift, and it is one that is meant to be used gladly and frequently. GoLove someone today by showing them just how easy it is to pray.