How Should We Pray?
By George Stroh
October 10, 2022
In the same the spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should... (Romans 8:26a)
A middle age lady named Martha always sat in the front row of the Baptist church on Sunday mornings. Martha was a little mentally challenged, but she loved the Lord and was always verbally responsive to her Pastor's preaching. One Sunday morning, there was a guest preacher. He said, "I feel quite inadequate substituting this morning for your wonderful Pastor." Martha, responded, "Amen!". The guest preacher went on, your Pastor is such a gifted preacher." Martha responded, "Amen!" The guest preacher continued, "I only wish I could preach as well as your Pastor." Finally Martha, frustrated, stood up and said, "Why don't you just do the best you can?"
Some are more verbose and more eloquent than others when they pray. But God just wants us to come to Him humbly and sincerely, even though often we don't even know how to pray. It is not wrong to pray out loud in public, but don't be hypocritical. Jesus said; When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. (Matthew 6:5)
How should we pray? We are to pray faithfully, expectantly and about everything; Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6) Jesus said; When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6). We are to pray at all times, frequently, specifically, persistently, and consistently with the leading and according to the will of the Holy Spirit, as revealed in God's word; With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit... (Ephesians 6:18)
We can pray confidently, knowing that the Holy Spirit will take our faithful and sincere prayers to the Father and intercede for us according to His perfect will, which always glorifies God and is best for us; But the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26b,27)
Finally, take Martha's advice when you pray and "Just do the best you can!"
Maranatha!