For the past couple of weeks, we have been focusing on the fact that God is a personal God. He is reaching out to you every day and you have the opportunity to converse with Him about every aspect of your life.
Take a moment to reflect upon all that you read and experienced this week. If necessary, go back and read the lesson or devotionals.
Quick Links
Talk to God!
We Have Hope When We Have Jesus
God’s Faithfulness
Jesus Knows Our Every Need
Jesus Is King!
Trusting Jesus
Reflection
The lesson for this week emphasized that prayer is an incredible privilege for each one of us. We are invited to come directly into God’s presence and talk with Him about whatever is on our hearts. And He promises to listen!
Prayer is one of the ways we come to know God in an intimate way and it is also the way in which we experience fellowship with Him.
Beth Yoe articulates it well when she writes, “The Holy Spirit helps us pray. Faith makes our prayers effective. God’s Word teaches us who God is and how to pray. Prayer is the means whereby God moves in the accomplishment of His mighty operations on the earth.”
What is your current experience with prayer? Is it important to you? Is it difficult? Is it meaningful?
What are some of the questions you have about prayer? Where can you go to get those questions answered?
What steps can you take to incorporate prayer into your everyday life?
What are some of the distractions that keep you from praying? How can you minimize those distractions in order to gain the time you would like to pray?
This week was filled with a diverse collection of readings! Think about all of the different interactions Jesus had in many different situations: with the ruler and his daughter and the crowd around them, with the disciples, with Pilate, with the criminals that were executed with Him.
Which encounter encourages you most at this point in your life?
Did you find yourself asking questions after any of the exchanges?
What are you learning about Jesus that is surprising to you, is troubling to you, is encouraging to you?
In what ways is God is speaking to you in the midst of your days?
Go a Step Beyond
Here’s this week’s recommendation for an additional resource to stretch your thinking as you consider talking with God: Does God Speak to Us?
Write It on Your Heart
Take a few minutes to memorize this verse:
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” —Hebrews 4:16