Jesus´ Words on Prayer

Perhaps we are living in a day and age where nearly every person has at some point been made aware of the need to pray.  Although prayer may be losing popularity in the national and public eye, at least people know that it is there and will have to adjust themselves somehow on what they feel about it. For many people the choice is made to reserve serious praying to when you are lying on your death bed or if not for yourself, then a close loved one. Though the opinions may vary as to what prayer is all about and just how to go about it, Jesus speaks quite clear on the subject. Nobody wants to be unjust and point fingers at others, so we should opt for trying to examine ourselves when we approach any given subject.  Therefore no matter what your religious background may be, take up the matter (if you are seriously considering your faith), with the Lord Himself. Jesus mentions certain forms of praying in Matthew 6:5-15.  Some kinds of prayer He flat out warns us from.  He asks us not to be like people who treat prayer in these ways.  Careful study of what those are is important for each person to clarify on their own. In these same verses too Jesus paints a clear picture of what He looks for in a praying person.  It would be highly beneficial to us all to spend some time meditating and praying over this often with our Savior.  Make it a special moment between your heart and that of your beloved Lord.  Expect to hear and feel His presence and listen carefully for His voice and healing. This kind of prayer, as Jesus says, cannot be done over a loud speaker or in front of many people.  This is an interaction between you and the center and core of your universe.  This is the moment you are adjusting yourself to all things.  As you turn all of yourself to Him without reserve, you are tuning your piano, so to speak.  All your inner workings and machinery becomes reset to their original manufacturer´s settings.  As you connect with Jesus in an honest humble way, He becomes that center, and that focus, and all other things fall to their proper lower position of importance. Jesus tells us in few words, not to make prayer a mechanical thing which can be done by coldly throwing words around.  He calls for us to make it personal, genuine and consciously directed to Him.  He is an intelligent entity, far more everlasting and real that you or I.  What is more is that He is there and this is His moment to communicate, to listen and to speak Any encounter of two entities communing together gives this impression of giving and receiving.  No approach to prayer should be done without this in mind.  It should be our goal to be heard and feel and know that it is received.  Likewise we should expect to receive communication in some form from that moment. Then we will not be like the hypocrites who do not approach their praying time in this way.  We will go to prayer to be near Someone and we go there to know that and be fed by that encounter. Much more can be gained by sitting at our Savior´s feet and listening to His instructions on prayer.  May we all return to examine our prayer-life and our views of the subject as often as possible.  Perhaps we could learn to walk each moment enveloped so with our Lord.  There are those who go through their days and their lives quietly communing like this with their God. Blessed are they, and may we all rest not, until we too are that close to Him. In Him and for Him, Amen Scott W