Just what I needed the most

Ryan, admit it. Don’t be shy! Most people are in the same boat as you. Some just think that they know how but in reality, they’re just as clueless as you are. Admit it Ryan, YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY!

Pastor Lucas’s Vertical series hit a home run. It spoke to a particular part of me- that part of me which wonders why I have to get up at four (okay, five!) in the morning to say a few words when all I can think of are the letter “z’s”. That part of my soul which imagines my prayers bouncing off the ceiling of my room, perhaps getting entangled in a cobweb and never reaching heaven. Yep! Home run it is.

I was chuckling to myself when I heard that even a seasoned “professional” like Pastor Lucas sometimes pray the same type of prayers I have. The shopping-list type or the type of prayer where you check off an imaginary checklist of prayer requests for yourself,  each family member, friends and acquaintances who asked for a prayer, sometimes changing a couple of words now and then but essentially just ticking a box from a list. That’s the way I pray! Or the Attention-deficit type of prayer, “Lord, I pray for the over-all health of my family…I should get some olive oil because its healthier…Hmm, but olive oil is much more expensive…I’ll just choose the least expensive one. What day is it today? Wednesday? I’ll go to the grocery tomorrow… Lord, I need to go to the gym.” At least 13 steps away from what I intended to pray for. And of course, the “Z” prayer- “Lord, I adore you…zzzzz…” Did I say home run already?

There is nothing like a good message which practically tells your story to help you discover your flaws. The Vertical series was just the; a mirror telling me that I need to re-learn prayer ASAP. Don’t get me wrong, I have had some pretty amazing prayer experiences, the kind where I don’t ever wanna stop. The type where I’m absolutely sure that I can pray forever. Alas, a flash in the pan is not enough to cook an omelet.

So, how to pray?

Ryan, before Jesus gave His template for prayer, He first gave the “don’ts”. So don’t do the don’ts of Matthew 6. Check!

Next. Our Father…. It’s a relationship Ryan. Talk to God just like you would talk to your dad. You’re lucky because you have a good relationship with your father and you don’t have any hang-ups of other Christians regarding their relationship with their dads. Granted, nowadays you’re communication may just be limited to a text twice a month, “Pa, naa na ang cable bill…” but the point is the ease by which you talk to your earthly father should also be the level of ease you have when praying to your heavenly One. Second step, relationship of Abba and son. Check!

Third. Give us today our daily bread…. Ryan, it’s a daily thing. Prayer is your declaration of dependence on God. You are declaring that you are dependent on your Father for even the most mundane thing like your daily bread. It’s like saying, “Lord, if you don’t show up today, I might as well stay in the kangkungan because today will be worthless.”

Fourth. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Ryan, repair your relationships before you pray. Jesus instructed His disciples to fix their relationships first before sacrificing their offerings at the altar. You should do the same. Love of neighbors? Check!

Fifth. Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from evil…. More than praying for the mundane and the trivial, pray for your spirit Ryan. Heaven is not a vending machine which is only concerned with your material needs. Ask for deliverance from unclean thoughts and strength when you are tested. Spirit? Check!

The sixth and infinitely the hardest. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…. Not the other way around! Pray not for what you want but for what the Lord wants for you. If you truly want heaven on earth, submit completely to His will because THAT’S WHAT HEAVEN IS! Let your will be done….Pray it and mean it Ryan!

Lastly, don’t just go jumping to “In Jesus name we pray” part immediately. Relax! Let God get a word in. “Speak, for thy servant heareth”, says Samuel. Ryan, prayer is a two-way conversation. Wait at least a few minutes before hanging up. You don’t know if God has something for you at that very moment. Remember Ryan that your best prayer experiences have always been when you waited for the Lord to answer and refused to say Amen until you heard from Him. Like Jacob, wrestle with God! “I will not let you go until You have blessed me!”

So Ryan, stop with the nonsense prayers. Words won’t even matter because He already knows your need even before you say it. Stop with the grocery list, the inattentiveness, the “z’s”….Come back to the heart of prayer and start aiming for the knees!