Praying To Our Father

God is our Heavenly Father. So if you see some kids who love their daddy, want to talk to him, and enjoy being around him, there you go. Prayer is a lot like that.  It doesn't have to be so complicated. 

Jesus said we could call God "Daddy" so that's what I do. (Matthew 6:9, "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father...'" See also, Romans 8:15.)

I don't have to say things over and over.  I don't have to pray in a certain, special order. 
I don't have to sit, stand, or kneel a certain way...

I just talk to Dad. 
Cry to Dad.  Laugh with Dad.  Complain to Dad.  Ask Dad for help.  Thank Dad.  Tell Dad I'm sorry.  LOVE MY DAD.

I'm His child.  He loves me.  He made me His.  It's a done deal.  
He will not disown me if I pray while I'm sitting instead of kneeling.  He will not disown me if I come to Him with my bad attitude, especially since He already knows I can only fix it with His help.  He will not disown my if I pray in a different order than somebody else does. 

He will teach me.  He will gently guide me.  And when needed, He will chastise me.   (Proverbs 3:12, "For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.")

He made us all different, and He loves us all immensely! He knows each of us inside and out, and He has called us all by name.  He doesn't need Sally to pray like Jessica.  It doesn't please Him if Deacon's-wife-Jan tries her best to pray more like Pastor's-wife-Alice.  He wants to fellowship with Jan-being-herself-Jan. He wants to talk to one Harold and one Michael, not one Michael and one Harold-trying-to-be-Michael. 

Your Father in Heaven loves you. He made you you.  Just talk to Him.  

I understand why people get caught up in explaining how to pray... some people think God is a vending machine, some people think God only hears them if they pray a certain prayer with certain words, some people think if they say x then God is required to answer with y... but none of those are true.   There is no "formula" to prayer, because it's not a way to manipulate and control God. It's how we communicate with God.

The truth is, all of the lessons on How To Pray are important. The most important lesson of all, though, is to know God loves you and wants a relationship with you.  This can only be accomplished through the finished work of His son Jesus Christ, but once you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord... God is your Father. Period. 

He's a Father who loves you, a Father who will reprove you when you need it, and a Father who rejoices over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) You don't have to have it all figured out on the first day.  The BEST thing you can do, is talk to Him. The WORST thing you can do is stop talking to Him because you're scared you're doing it wrong.

He's Dad. He loves you. Talk to Him.
Then listen to how He responds through His Spirit dwelling within you and through His Holy Word. <3