"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water." Psalm 63:1
Prayer is communication. It's talking and listening to God. The God of the Universe wants to hear from you. He wants to spend time with you. He wants to talk with you. Isn't that pretty incredible?
How is all this possible? Because of the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, He took our place. He took all our sin, our shame, and our baggage upon Himself so that we could know God – so that we could have a personal relationship with Him. And for a follower of Jesus, that relationship can start today: walking through life with God, talking with Him through prayer, and spending time reading His Word.
Okay, but what can we talk about with God? We can talk about anything and everything with God. But for someone new to prayer, just remember the basics with A.C.T.S.:
•A – Adoration. Begin with praising God's greatness and character. Praise is not flattery, but true statements of good qualities.
•C – Confession. Confess your failures, your mistakes, and your sins. Ask for God's forgiveness and His supernatural power to help you forgive others.
•T – Thanks. Thank Him for the good things in your life, the blessings – including strength through the hard times.
•S – Supplication. What in the world does that mean? It's asking God to meet your needs and the needs of others.
Too often we treat prayer as a therapy session. We vent, complain, and ask for a quick fix to all life's problems, when prayer can be so much more. When's the last time you really spent time with God, sharing your heart, your praises, your confessions, your thanks and needs? Find time today to slow down and speak with God through prayer. It can make all the difference in the world.
