Rhythms of GraceSample

As we learned in week 1, God is intentional and cares for us. We know this because the plan He has had for salvation was set since the creation of the world. God cares about our physical needs, our emotional needs, and our spiritual needs. He is the only one who can fulfill us and provide for us. He cares for us so much that He wants to hear from us and talk to us. This happens through prayer. We hear the word prayer talked about often in church and within our small groups, but what is prayer? Prayer is simply communication with God. It’s simply sitting down and talking to God about everyday life, talking about our struggles, our sin, and praising Him for who He is. Prayer is essential in the life of a believer. Without prayer, we would be unaligned from God. Prayer places us in a position of humility and gives us an opportunity to draw closer to God.

Even Jesus prayed to the Father. He set the example of what prayer looks like and why it is important. Jesus praised God, prayed for the Kingdom of God, His needs, our sin, and set the example of how to seek help in resisting temptation. While we do not have to pray exactly how Jesus did in Luke 11, He provides a great outline of how to pray and the posture of our hearts while coming before God in prayer.

This week we will be learning more about what prayer is and why it is important. Below is a prayer to start this week out.

God,

Thank you for the privilege of being able to come before You and offer You praise. You are faithful and gracious. There is no one like You and none beside You. Only You are worthy of my praise. God, you know the needs of my heart and you know what is going on in my life. I ask that you work in these situations. I trust that You will take care of me and all that is going on because I have seen Your love and I know that You care for me. God, purify my heart and mind. Make me clean and remind me of the importance of repentance. Protect me from the enemy and lead me in Your ways. You are good. Thank you for all that you are doing. Speak to me this week and teach me more about what prayer looks like and why it is important.

In Jesus name,

Amen