Pray Like Jesus

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;  let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Psalm 22: 1-8

If there was one spiritual discipline I am always seeking to grow in, it is prayer. The practice and habit of prayer can seem directionless to me at times, and my default is to treat God like a server at my favorite restaurant. For direction on how to pray, who better a teacher than Jesus? When Jesus spoke to God in one of the most agonizing moments of his earthly life, He used a psalm.

Take note of this psalm, observe it as a model of prayer during a time of overwhelming difficulty. The psalmist does not request but begins with a question. After that question, a statement is made about the situation, about who God is, and who man is. There are anguish and descriptions of what is happening and how the psalmist feels about it. What you don’t see here is a request, until nearly the end of the psalm. Use this psalm as a model for prayer. Jesus did.

DO THIS TODAY: Process your situation with God before making requests.