So Be ItSample

It’s easy to treat prayer as a one-way conversation. We can get ritualistic in our words and lose the whole purpose. Some of us find ourselves trying to preach through our prayers, or pray in ways that exalt ourselves more than God. Jesus is letting us know that this type of praying is counter-productive. These prayers are not heard like those that come from a God-focused heart and a bent ear towards heaven. Prayer is a two-way conversation, not an online order form. God knows everything already - he just wants to talk with us about it. One of the most challenging aspects of prayer is the art of listening to God. We may pray all week, month or year about the same thing and not realize that His answer was available to us much sooner.

Lord, you know my needs. I invite you into all of them right now and am quieting my mouth and soul to hear however you would want to speak into my life. Open my heart and ears to receive what you have for me. (Spend 15 minutes in focused silence today.) Amen and So Be It.