Finding a Relationship with God in Prayer
What is relationship, what is prayer and who is God?
I’ll define relationship as a connection, prayer as talking/communicating with God and God as He is portrayed in the Bible, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and the Creator of the universe. Who are we? We are created in God’s image for fellowship (connection) with Him and to reflect His glory on the earth. When I’m speaking to God my prayers seem to be largely “Help!”, “Thank You!”, and “I Love You!” He speaks to me mostly through His Word but also in the still small voice which I check against His Word.
The Bible gives us many reasons to pray. One reason is found in Philippians 4:6-7. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving make your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. This is a “do” verse and is to be done every time we have any kind of worry, anxiety, lack of peace, big or small. Our God desires to know the anxiety of our hearts and wants to remove it and give us His peace. I think of a little child who has any kind of discomfort. What do we instinctively want to do? We want her to tell us about what’s troubling her and to offer her comfort and the solution to her problem. How much more, our God?
This is a verse that I have been intentionally focusing on over the last decade and particularly of late. I’m trying not to brush aside or stuff my anxiety but rather try to bring it into the light and talk to God about it. A few days ago I became aware that I was weighed down and a fragment of Scripture came to me about being “weighed down with…the cares of this life.” (Luke 21:34). I instinctively asked what I should do when I’m weighed down and the Scripture came, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest…” (Matthew 11:28-30). Then I heard “Cast your cares upon Me because I care for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). I did begin to receive assurance and peace from God as I heard His answer for me. Hearing His words of command or invitation gives me confidence. The revelation that God wants to lift heavy burdens from me opens up my heart to Him and enables me to receive His comfort and peace. This sure ins’t a “one and done” but is something we grow in and it always feels new.
A verse from our devotional at HoPE this week comes to mind. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3). Our God desires us to have a trusting relationship with Him. This how we grow in love with Him.
Another way of praying that I have been thinking about for the past few years is centred in the phrase “cry out” or variations of it. As far as I know the first mention of this phrase is in Genesis 4:10. And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” This, of course, is the story of Cain and Abel. After Cain murders his brother Abel because of envy, Abel’s blood cries out to God and the idea seems to be that injustice requires a just response. God is the only One who is capable of administering justice (vengeance) in a perfect way. It is by divine design, it seems, that we cry out when we have been unjustly treated. Another instance of crying out occurs in Exodus 2:23-25. Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. In both the case of Cain and Abel and the children of Israel there was a grievous injustice and when they cried out because of it, God heard and he acted in response to their cries.
In my own life I have been, from time to time, treated unjustly. I think of a time many years ago when I was somewhat bullied at the place where I worked as a health care aide. Evaluations were coming up and before I went into the Director’s office the person bullying me was rubbing her hands gleefully in anticipation of me getting a bad report. I clearly remember crying out to God in desperation to help me. Amazingly to me He heard my cry and responded to it immediately. The Director got out a report about me and began to erase it and told me I had improved a lot lately and she was going to give me a good report. Interestingly the woman who had been bullying me went in for her evaluation and came out crying! My life situation wasn’t as dramatic as the circumstance with Cain and Abel and the children of Israel in bondage to Pharaoh but, believe me, it was very impactful for me. I marvelled at how God heard my arrow cry and responded so immediately and clearly to me. It really felt like a judgment had been rendered on behalf of the saints! God remembered His covenant with me!
An area of prayer that I would like to grow in is loving God for who He is, Father, Son, and Spirit. I want to grow in enjoying God and experiencing His enjoyment of me. I want to daily delight myself in the Lord. (Psalm 34:4) Show me how to do this Holy Spirit.
In conclusion I would encourage us all to keep our connection with God honest, current, and vibrant in the place of prayer. Whether we are telling Him our worries, crying out to Him about an injustice, thanking Him, or just loving Him for who He is, I believe He wants to see our face and hear our voice. ( Song of Songs 2:14) Jesus suffered and died that we could have authentic relationship with Him and our Father so let’s give Him the reward of His suffering by communing with Him in prayer daily.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
