Over the last two weeks, we’ve been learning what it means to abide in Jesus. We began by finding our home in Him, and last week we practiced hearing His voice through His Word. But healthy relationships don’t work when only one person talks.
So this week, we talk back.
Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” — John 15:7
Prayer can be defined as speaking to the Father through the Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. Or more simply, prayer is talking with God.
Sometimes we make prayer more complicated than Jesus did. We worry about using the right words, praying long enough, or sounding spiritual enough. It's not wrong to use right words, or pray long prayers, or even sound spiritual, but what's better is that we understand what we are praying and why we are praying.
But when Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them to speak directly with God the Father: “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9). Prayer is not an empty chant in hopes of activating an award. Rather, prayer is one of the rhythms of relationship with God.
It is bringing our gratitude, fears, needs, sins, questions, desires, and burdens before the God who already knows us and loves us. We praise Him for who He is. We confess where we’ve sinned. We thank Him for His grace. We ask Him for what we need. And sometimes, we simply sit quietly in His presence.
This is why Scripture and prayer belong together. In Scripture, God speaks to us. In prayer, we respond to Him. What begins as reading Scripture can become a conversation between you and God. For example:
Read Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and respond, “Jesus, thank You for shepherding me.”
Read Matthew 6, “Do not be anxious about anything,” and tell Him what is making you anxious.
Read Luke 11, “Forgive us our sins,” and confess the sin you’ve been carrying.
Prayer doesn’t have to begin somewhere else. Let God’s Word give you words to speak back to God.
This week: After you read Scripture, stay where you are for another few minutes. Don’t close your Bible and immediately move on. Take something you just read and turn it into prayer. Then talk honestly with Jesus about what is happening in your life.
You don’t need impressive words. You don’t need a special place. You don’t need to pretend.
You have a Father who hears you.
So this week, don’t just hear from God, talk with God.