“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. 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. “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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:5-8

If God were to teach you how to pray, what do you imagine Him saying?

I love the Word of God because of its instruction. Prayer is sometimes difficult for men to navigate. In Luke 11 we see that the disciples were hungry to learn how to pray. Of all things those men could have asked Jesus to teach them, they asked about prayer. Prayer is necessary, important, and influential. How then do we pray and where do we start?  Thankfully, Jesus gave us a direction when it comes to this vertical conversation.

Jesus uses the phrase “when you pray” because prayer is something a follower should be engaging in. The motive of prayer is addressed in how He describes the hypocrites. They pray to be seen praised by men. A good motivation is focused on God in this conversation, not others. Also important to note there is no amount of words or phrases prescribed in prayer. God wants a relationship, not a unique passphrase. Simply put, prayer is a vehicle to relate to God. Keep that in the forefront of your mind as you pray.

DO THIS TODAY: Find 15 minutes of time alone to pray.