I don’t know about you, but if I do something – I want to do it right. The first time. I don’t always like the learning process. I don’t like feeling confused or inadequate. But if there is one thing I’ve learned about this Christian life, it’s that it is a process. I’m not going to do things right the first time, and there are many seasons of learning and growing – but the good thing is, we have a gracious and patient God. One willing to walk through the process with us. 

Prayer is one of those things that can be confusing at first. There are also seasons where it may be hard – hard to find time, hard to find the words, hard to find the faith that God hears you. But we can have peace, because we have a gracious and patient God willing to walk with us. 

That’s the whole purpose of prayer. It is not to “heap up empty phrases” or say “many words” (Matthew 6:7). It is not to find the right formula to get what you want. Prayer can be many things – praise, thanksgiving, repentance, petition – but at its core, prayer is simply walking with God. Talking to Him. Communing with Him. He so fiercely wants a relationship with you – for you to know and be known by Him. And prayer accomplishes that end: it connects us to the Vine, it helps us abide in Him, and it grows our relationship with Him.  

We see how much He wants a relationship with us in the form of Christ – the Son of God who became a man to stand in our place. Because He lived a human life, experienced human weakness (without sin), was tempted and tried – hurt and killed – He became the perfect representative. Our High Priest, who has given us His righteousness. And in His righteousness, we can stand boldly before the throne of great grace. We may feel unworthy. We were unworthy to come before our Holy God. But because of Christ, our perfect Savior, we have been made clean – we have a way into the presence of God, and we can go unashamedly. He wants us to. 

And when we feel weak – we have another promise – the Holy Spirit. He guides us and intercedes for us when we don’t have the words. Because again, it’s not about our words – it’s about our hearts. Hearts that want to commune with the God who wants to commune with us. That is what prayer is about, that is why we can have peace within it – even when we feel like we’re not “getting it right” the first time. Like all of the Christian life, it is a process we walk through – and through prayer itself, we get to hold God’s hand while doing it. 

So as we go into this time of focused prayer as a church, I just wanted to remind you that even when it seems hard or confusing, we have a gracious God who not only provided a way for us to communicate with Him – but wants us to and helps us to.