Last week in our church we launched a men’s ministry and I loved that so many men wanted to dive into deeper discussion on the topic of prayer.  The truth is prayer has been written off by many for a number of reasons.  Either people don’t understand how to pray or feel like they get distracted and have nothing to say.  Some, I believe, even question if prayer even works.  The truth is that prayer isn’t as mystical as we sometimes try to make it.  What worries me is that we now have a generation that believes in God but have no real relationship with him.

And prayer, at its basics, is communication with God.  A relationship.

 

David starts Psalm 5 with these 3 verses:

“1) Give ear to my words, O Lord.  Consider my sighing.

2) Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to you.

3) In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

 

Verse 1: “Consider my sighing” – Because prayer is really communication, it does not always have to be verbal.  I was a youth pastor for 6 years.  There have been teenage girls in my ministry that entire time, you cannot convince me that communication is only talking!  Part of prayer is just knowing that God is with you at all times and acknowledging his presence.  A simple smile that means “you were right” to a physically present friend, means the exact same thing to your spiritually present God.

Verse 2: “my King and my God” – We must acknowledge that the one who we are communicating with is not just an ATM for blessings or a drive thru we get to pull through.  He is the creator of the universe.  I believe one thing we have grown lackadaisical on in our society is honor.  Yes, God is our Heavenly Father, but the level of respect that we give him is also part of communication.

Verse 3: “and wait in expectation.” – Communication is 2-sided and God loves to answer us!  Too many times we either give up when there is no audible voice that responds us instantly, but God chooses to answer our requests in many different ways.  He may answer through a friend.  He may answer by “closing a door” to make it apparent which way in life to go.  He may answer by “opening up doors” that you never even saw possible.  He will answer, but we must wait on him expecting Him to do so!