Prayer was a way of life for the early believers and a priority in their Christian walk. Surprisingly, there is little teaching on the “how to” of prayer in the Bible. Many modern books have been written on Prayer. The conclusion is that the best way to learn how to pray is to pray. Like the slogan says, “Just do it!”

Prayer isn’t a method… It’s a way of life.

A story is told of a pastor (it was not an Apostolic pastor) who traveled by ship to visit a church across the ocean. While on the way the ship stopped at an island. There the pastor met three fishermen. When they found out that he was a pastor they excitedly said, “We be Christians too!”

The pastor asked them if they knew the “Lord’s Prayer.” To his surprise he learned that the fishermen had never heard of it. “What do you say when you pray?” inquired the pastor. “We pray, We be men, you be God, have mercy on us!”

The pastor was appalled at the primitive nature of their prayer and spent the day teaching them the “Lord’s Prayer.” The fishermen were willing students and could recite the prayer with no mistakes. The pastor was so proud of his achievement.

On the return trip the ship stopped at the same island again. As the ship drew closer to the shore he could see the three fishermen rushing toward the ship. They cried, “Pastor, we come hurry to meet you!” “What is it that you need?” asked the pastor. “We be so sorry. We forget your fine, fine prayer. We say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... and then we forget the rest of the words. Please tell us the prayer again.” The pastor replied, “Just go back and pray, We be men, you be God, have mercy on us!”

Prayer is not a matter of quoting prayers from a book or mere repetition of words that we memorized. Prayer should never be a struggle. Prayer is not a chore, something that is endured. It is not a ritual, but time we spend with a friend who hears, and answers our needs. Just talk to Jesus as you would to a close friend.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

A famous preacher once said, “It is not that prayer has been tried and found wanting. It is rather that it has not really been tried.” It is unfortunate and incorrect for us to look to God as a last resort. We go to him because we have nowhere else to go. “Then we learn that the storms of life have driven us, not upon the rocks, but into the desired haven.”

“The first and only thing that will work is the last thing that we will try: PRAYER!”

Abraham Lincoln once said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”

Why should we only go to God in times of emergency, when we don’t have anyone else to turn to? It is common for people to pray in times of emergency. At these times prayer is never far from our lips. Mother Teresa had a better idea when she said, “Prayer is the mortar that holds our house together.” Why wait until our house is falling apart before we pray? If you want to know how to pray; “Just do it!”

“Let’s not just study about it, read up on it, or discuss it: LET US PRAY!