Draw the Line on Prayer

In my eighth grade drafting class, my teacher taught us that the best way to draw a straight line when you don't have a straight edge is to keep your eye on your destination point as you draw the line. Straight edges are best, of course, but many times in life while working in an active job site, you don't have access to one. Often, the project doesn't require perfection anyway.

Prayer is much like drawing that line. You see, where our lives are headed is vitally important to our prayer lives here and now. In order to pray well, we must keep our eyes on the goal of our lives, Jesus, who is "the author and perfecter of faith," (Hebrews 12:2). Recognizing that God is directing our lives toward Him each day and throughout our days on earth, finally culminating in glorification with Christ and living in a new earth, we must set out to talk to God about what is happening here and now.

And prayer doesn't require perfection. I've met several Christians who are nervous about praying out loud around others because of fear of judgment or slipping up in some way. This shouldn't be the case. God does not keep a list of approved words and phrases for prayer. His decision to respond to prayer is not dependent upon the level of eloquence with which the pray-er prays. God just wants us to talk to Him and express our total reliance on Him for all things. He simply desires to hear from us.

So, set out to "draw the line" of prayer today, casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).