Praying with purpose

When I was little we used to have Sunday dinners over at my Grandparent's home. It was a lovely tradition that brought the family closer together, helped us stay in touch, and gave Sunday's a nice structure based around communion with God and celebration with family. But among everything else, there is one thing that will always stick with me – how my Grandfather said grace at the dinner table.

My Grandpa recited the same prayer every week for more than a decade's worth of meals. It was three sentences of platitudes that he would say as fast as humanly possible (anyone remember those old Micro Machine ads?), often reaching for the gravy bowl before before quite finishing "amen.”

Now, my Grandpa was a good Christian. He had a strong personal walk with Christ and I don't mean to disparage him. But, boy was he lazy when it came to praying! It used to be a joke between me and my brother, we'd imitate his dinner prayer as an exaggerated way of expressing boredom or disinterest. But over the years I noticed something, I could be pretty lazy when it came to praying too.

I'm not talking about some rushed devotional before dinner gets cold either, I mean in my personal faith. Just like Grandpa, over the years I found myself muddling through the same old platitudes and routines, setting my brain to autopilot when I prayed, never really thinking about what I was doing. 

And that's an insult to God.

Prayer is our direct line of communication to the almighty. We need to respect that and not take it for granted. We need to be focused and attentive when talking with God, giving it as much respect as if He were in the room with us.

That's not to say there are any kind of regulations on what makes a "good” prayer. It doesn't have to be a certain length, or loud and dramatic (in fact, turning your prayer into a performance for others is another kind of problem). What it does have to be though, is meaningful.

If you're mumbling through your prayers out of obligation or routine, you need to check yourself. Because when you tap God on the shoulder and ask for a minute of his time, you best not be wasting it. Prayers should come from the heart. They should be true, earnest, and honest with Christ. 

Look at how David prayed to God in the Psalms. He never censored himself, or stuck to a script. When he prayed, he prayed with vigor and heartfelt honesty. He expressed his fears, frustrations, and sadness to the Lord. He wasn't afraid to tell God what was bothering him and ask for guidance and strength when he needed it. He wasn't ticking a box before going to bed or saying Grace for the sake of other people at the table, it came from the heart.

Your prayers should praise God and celebrate him. Prayer should be a chance to affirm your relationship with Christ, your faith in His mercy and grace. Having a direct path of communication with the Lord almighty is a huge privilege, treat it as such!

If you find yourself just going through the motions when you pray, stop. Think about what you're doing, think about what you really want to say to the Lord, and then do so with honesty and sincerity. Pray with purpose.