What is one thing that strong, thriving relationships have in common? They all have good communication. After all, it is difficult to have a strong, thriving relationship with anyone if we do not communicate with them. Even if one person is constantly communicating, the relationship will not be strong if the other person never responds to that communication. The same is true for our relationships with God. He has made every effort to communicate with us, but if we want to have a strong relationship with Him this next year, we must communicate with Him through prayer.
Jesus modeled for us an example of what it looks like to make prayer a priority throughout His ministry. One of the places we read about His example of prayer is in Mark 1. In this passage of Scripture, we read that Jesus had “healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and He cast out many demons” (verse 34). Scripture tells us that “before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (verse 35). Jesus understood the importance of talking to His Heavenly Father, so He purposefully got up early, before the start of the day, to pray. Before He interacted with other people and before He continued with His daily ministry, Jesus met with God the Father and talked with Him. He also went to an "isolated place." The purpose of this must have been to avoid distractions and to stay focused while He met with His Heavenly Father. He was very purposeful about His time spent talking to His Heavenly Father.
Many people understand the importance of praying, but they do not quite understand what to say when they pray. James 5 gives us an understanding of what we can pray about. In this passage of Scripture, he writes, "Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord” (verses 13-14). According to James in this passage of Scripture, we can pray about anything. We can pray when we are happy, sad, or suffering. God, our Heavenly Father, delights in hearing from us about anything on our minds.
Make no mistake, if we want to have growing, thriving relationships with God, we must talk to Him through prayer, and we can pray about anything. Will you commit to a lifestyle of consistently talking to your Heavenly Father through prayer?
Take a few moments today to get alone with God. During this time, pray. Praise Him for being a good Heavenly Father who made every effort to communicate with us and delights in hearing from us. Praise Him for the good gifts He has given you. Tell Him about your worries and concerns. Ask Him to help you as you seek to live in a way that pleases Him. Commit to making prayer a daily rhythm in your life.
1Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!
10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
