Day 21: What is Prayer?

What is prayer? Prayer is the ability to communicate with your Heavenly Father and hear back from Him! Some think of it as a duty. Others think of it as a quick fix or last resort. Prayer is none of these things. It is actually the greatest privilege of a Christian. The whole Bible is filled with the command to pray: "Pray in the morning", "Pray when you are sick", "Pray when you need help", "Pray for peace." Why are we told to pray so much? It is because God wants to answer our requests. Jesus said, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22). What a promise!

"I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech." Psalm 17:6

"When You said, "'Seek My face,'" my heart said to You, "'Your face, O LORD, I shall seek." Psalm 27:8

Call Out to God
Think about your relationship with your best friend: you talk to him, listen to what he has to say, and enjoy spending time together. This is the essence of prayer, building a relationship with your Heavenly Father. He loves you very much, wants to hear what is on your mind and give you direction. God says, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). Your job is to call out and talk to Him, and He promises to answer—what a wonderful guarantee! Your prayers do not have to be anything fancy. In fact, God prefers honesty over babbling on and on. Just start today by telling God what is on you mind and asking Him to speak to you. You will be amazed at His response.

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." 1 John 5:14-15

Prayer is actually a conversation with God! When was the last time you enjoyed this privilege, and what did you talk with God about?