Prayer is simply communication with God. Many people shy away from praying for fear of knowing what to say. Jesus describes prayer in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. He starts by instructing his followers to pray without babbling (“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” Matthew 6:7-8).
Prayer is a topic that can be a misconception for some. They think that you have to know what to say or how to say it. Some even think that only certain people can pray, like the leadership of the church. However, without prayer, a Christian cannot maintain connection with Jesus. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus shows us how to pray through the Lord’s Prayer. It begins with the praise of God’s name and acknowledgement of his authority (“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” Matthew 6:9-10). It then presents requests in verses 11-14: “Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” This is how you stay connected to God the Father: praise him and then ask him for what you need.