Today it seems we love to ask God for favors.  I’m amazed at how often we go to God when we need something.  It’s almost like we look at God as a bargain or look to bargain with Him.  How much do we really care about God and how much more do we really care about ourselves?  Think about that the next time you pray!  When we talk to God, are we asking Him to help us accomplish His plans or to gain something for our lives?  How do you pray?  There are often times we get ourselves in a rut and we ask God to bail us out or show some favor to us.  Then God helps us, but not in the way that we want or think is best for us and we get upset.  The problem is that we still have not learned how to pray!  Jesus demonstrated it clearly in Matthew 6:9-13

“⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

When we look at the prayer that Jesus demonstrated for us, we can easily see that it is so much more about God’s will and not about our will!  When I read the example prayer that Jesus gave us, I see it saying “God’s will be done.”  Prayer is not bargain time, prayer is not “God I need a favor”,  and prayer is not about our personal gain.  Prayer is simply about God’s will being done in our lives and through our lives.  God will help us through when we need His help, but we must learn to pray in the right manner.  Also, we must learn that there is more to prayer than us talking.  Prayer is a lot about us listening to God as well.  How can we expect to carry on a conversation when we don’t listen?  God wants our full attention when He’s speaking.  He’s often speaking loud and clear; we’re just not listening.  I hope that all of us will make it a point to THINK about how we pray, CHANGE what we need to change in the manner in which we pray, and LISTEN to what God is telling us!  Will you join us in praying the way Jesus showed us?