BOOK TITLE: Lord, Teach Me To Pray In 28 Days

You've seen them. The colorful designs and snappy titles on the inspirational book rack as you move through the store. The offer of blessings and help with every area of your life. Specific formulas on how to manipulate the Kingdom of Heaven to give you maximum benefit.

I like to browse, but I didn't have the time to check this one out. The title, however, set off some rapid-fire questions in my mind. Why would we put a time restriction on God? The title itself was an imperative, demanding something from the Almighty. (Perhaps adding the word "please" would have given it a touch of humility.) Do we really need a formula for praying?

I myself have struggled with the concept of prayer over the years. I was taught from childhood to recite the Lord's Prayer, found in the New Testament. As I grew I learned that you should hear prayer requests, keep a prayer list and produce a prayer journal that logs prayers, asked and answered.

I have a relative who maintains that if we are to dress and act a certain way before "kings and potentates", then why not more so before the Maker of the Universe? Now, I don't normally hang around kings and those other guys, but I'm with my heavenly Father every day. And a while back I was fairly certain that I heard him say, "Can we talk?"

He told me that because he was intimately aware of every detail of my life, then I should be more conscious of his presence as often as possible, and that, over time, I would begin to feel his presence more --- by just talking to him. This includes thinking to him.

In Deueronomy 6:7 the writer encourages us to make God's commands the centerpiece of our lives. "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you are walking along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Despite what others may think, I don't believe he was referring to Bible memorization. Commandments are God's words. And we need a constant flow of his words into and through our lives. We must keep an open line to the Heavenly Call Center.

I started by admitting to him that I had difficulty praying. I proceeded to sharing the most intimate details of my shortcomings, my frustrations about my own life, as well as struggles in relationships with others around me. I began to realize that the conversation was flowing. That I seemed to be hearing responses, even while I was speaking (or thinking).

Let me assure you that I am no Prayer Warrior (whatever that is). But I think that I am beginning to understand this personal Creator-to-Creation bond. While he is much greater than any earthly "king or potentate", he is still my father, who loves me dearly, and wants me to desire his presence daily.

Talk to him. Tell him about your joys, your frustrations, your failures, your confusion --- even about how he does things. Ask him for what you want, and don't worry about asking for the wrong thing. Along with your request, admit to him that you don't know what you need. Don't pick a time to pray. Pray all of the time that you are conscious of his presence. Don't make a list. Don't develop a sermon or flowery prayer. Just pray.

You know that he already knows what you are going to pray (or think), and he already knows what you need (and want). So why pray? Because dialogue is crucial to your relationship with him. It will ease your troubles, encourage your walk and bring you peace.