Responding to God’s love with a life of prayer
When God’s Spirit reaches us through the Word and sacrament and fills us with proclamations of peace and gentle whispers of love, we long to respond. It is a great privilege and honor to listen to and talk with our Holy Lord. Yet often times, we feel inadequate in our prayers.
The second lesson of Equip Women to Teach the Word focuses on how we respond to God’s grace with fruitful, Christian living. It teaches us about prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 commands us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” We may imagine such prayers to be flowery or lyrical, or at very least, deeply emotional. But that’s not what makes them Spirit-filled prayers.
Very simply, the Holy Spirit who dwells within you gives you the desire and ability to pray. It is because of faith in Christ that you pray “in the Spirit.” Don’t worry about stumbling over your words or sounding spiritual. Just talk to your Father who loves you and knows your heart. He understands your thoughts, concerns, and questions. He sees your emotions, fears, and failures—and he loves you and wants to hear your prayers!
Your prayers may follow the words of Scripture, or the Lord’s Prayer—or they may burst from your lips with songs of praise! Prayers may also pour from a broken heart with wordless cries—and we can be certain that the Spirit intercedes in times of weakness.
Hear what God says about prayer, learn about prayer styles, and grow in your prayer life by spending time in Lesson Two. And pray continually!
You may also want to check out Linda Buxa’s new book on prayer at the Time of Grace website!
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