“When you pray…” (Matthew 6:5).

“When you pray…” (Matthew 6:6).

“When you pray…” (Matthew 6:7).

Interesting. Jesus assumes that his disciples are praying. Jesus doesn’t say, “Should you pray, ” or “If you pray.” Jesus simply assumes, “When you pray.”

So, is that the case with you?

If you are praying, you will encounter resistance. Things get busy. You’ve got a life to live. But the biggest hindrance to prayer, if you have a conscience, is guilt. See, we are all sinners. Not only that, we are repeat sinners. And we go to God with the same ol’ sins over and over. And, in time, guilt and shame overwhelm us.

That guilt and shame? Should the guilt and shame lead us to pray and trust God more, great. But, there are times, when guilt and shame causes us to run from God.

Remember what happened in the Garden when the first couple sinned?

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8).

Shame does that. It makes us want to escape God’s holiness.

When that happens, fight it. Push through it. When you want to run from God, instead, RUN TO GOD!

Never limit your prayers because you think you are sinful and undeserving. You’re not praying because of who you are. You are praying because of who God is.

It is absolutely true that you are sinful and undeserving. That’s why you need God’s grace and forgiveness even more. There was never a time when we were not sinful and undeserving. So, don’t let that keep you from praying. That would be silly. God already knows we are sinful and undeserving. That’s why God makes a way for repeat sinners to become sons and daughters in Jesus Christ.

Keep on praying!

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

One day Jesus was praying…

This wasn’t an one-off occasion. Jesus regularly prayed. So much so that the disciples noticed a major difference in Jesus before and after Jesus spent time in prayer. The disciples wanted to know how to pray like Jesus.

Today’s reflection is short. I’ll get right to the point.

IF JESUS NEEDED TO PRAY, DON’T YOU THINK YOU NEED TO PRAY?

So, do it right now. Talk to God. Seek God’s will.

Pray.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21).

What is the context in which Job said this?

“One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!'”

That’s a bad, bad day.

Job had been a very wealthy man. In one day, Job lost everything.

What do you do when you’ve lost everything?

You pray.

That’s the context in which Job declared, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Wow!

Job teaches us something very important about prayer: prayer is not about our circumstances or about us. Prayer is all about who God is.

When Job had everything, Job prayed. When Job had nothing, Job prayed.

We pray because of who God is. Prayer’s focus is not our circumstances, but who God is. And once we “see” God we are able to begin seeing everything as they really are.