Remembering to Pray

Sometimes I forget to pray. And sometimes I forget to pray for a while.

Life gets busy, or I don’t find myself with quiet alone time and talking

to God gets pushed aside. But praying is so important, especially during

the busy times. It’s good to talk to God about what’s on my mind and be

reminded of the relationship I have with Him.

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It can be hard to remember to pray, but Jesus gave us an example of how

to make special time for prayer. He often went off by Himself, found a

quiet spot, and spoke with the Father. Jesus did this many times during His

ministry. Even when it didn’t seem like He had time to pray, that’s

especially when He withdrew to be alone with the Father (Luke 5:15-16).

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One night, Jesus knew that He was going to be betrayed by one of His

disciples very soon, and He took time to pray to the Father for the people

He was about to die for. He asked the Father that they would be protected,

sanctified, and unified in love (John 17:11-23). This is a beautiful

demonstration of the sacrificial love that Jesus has for usHe prayed for

us before His death. Jesus’s prayer reminds us of who He chose to die for

and why He chose to go through with the brutal, humiliating, lonely death

on the cross. It’s for us. Jesus knew that His death would provide the only

way for us to be with Him forever (verse 24). And after Jesus rose from the

dead, He ascended to the right hand of God, where He continues to pray for

us (Romans 8:34).

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As we wait for Jesus’s return, we still get to talk with Him through

prayer. And, like Jesus prayed before He went to the cross, we can pray

before we go through hard things. As we take time for conversation with our

Savior, He helps recenter us. He reminds us that He loves us, that He is

with us through every challenge we face, and that He will help us face

those challenges in love. Naomi Zylstra

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We can talk to God anywhere and anytimeHe loves to hear our prayers,

including the short, quick ones. Even so, why do you think God invites us

to take time alone with Him to pray?

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When in your day do you like to pray? How could you make a habit of

praying at this time every day (or at least most days)?

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They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples,

Sit here while I pray. Mark 14:32 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Luke 5:15-Luke 5:16; John 17; Mark 14:32