What is prayer? CQ Kids

*YouTube automatically notifies us of pirating. Please contact us to obtain permission to use this video outside of this channel.* Parents, continue your studies with Episode 1294: How Can I Transform My Prayer Life? christianquestions.com/doctrine/1294-how-to-pray-part-i/

What is prayer?

Prayer is the way we communicate with God. It’s like a power cord that stretches all the way to Him in heaven. Prayer “charges” our hearts with more energy to serve Him while increasing our faith and peace. When we pray to the Creator of the Universe, our attitude should be humble, respectful, and thankful. The quality of our prayers is not dependent on the number of words we use, but on the sincerity of our heart.

We should remove all distractions when we pray. We might choose to fold our hands, close our eyes, or kneel in order to help us focus better. Although we can pray anywhere, anytime, our prayers are preferable in quiet places, like in our room when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night. We also pray before a meal, to tell God how thankful we are for what He has provided.

We pray because we want to have a relationship with God through his son, Jesus. Jesus provided the best examples of prayer and praying. He depended on God and always approached Him with humility, recognizing God’s superiority. If Jesus, the highest being created by God, was completely dependent upon God, then even more so, we should be too!

In the book of Matthew, (see 6:5,6) Jesus taught us to pray in secret. This doesn’t mean we can’t pray in front of others or that we have to go to a literal, secret place. He meant our prayers should not be used as a show for others. (see Matthew 6:5)

In the book of Luke, Jesus spoke a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector. Pharisees were the religious teachers of that time, and many were prideful and insincere in their worship of God. (see Luke 18:10-14 NASB 1995)

Jesus said, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Do you see the difference between the two prayers? The Pharisee was, in effect, praying to himself and not God, congratulating himself on what a great person he thought he was. The other man was sincere and humble, recognizing how he needed God’s mercy.

Here are some keys to prayer that are pleasing to God:

Recognizing God’s power and approaching Him through His son Jesus, with faith, humility and respect
Praising God for his love and mercy
Offering prayers of thankfulness
Praying for others in need
Praying for God’s kingdom to be established in His perfect timing
So, what is prayer? It’s like a lifeline to the Creator of the Universe! We should always approach God with humility, respect, and thankfulness. 1 Thessalonians (5:17, NLT) tells us we should “Never stop praying.”

Submit YOUR questions to ChristianQuestions.com. Thank you for liking and subscribing!

If you liked this video, you might also like:

What is the Lord’s Prayer?
www.youtube.com/watch

Who were the scribes and Pharisees?
www.youtube.com/watch

Why do we pray if God already knows our thoughts?
www.youtube.com/watch

How should we pray?
www.youtube.com/watch

What should we pray for?
www.youtube.com/watch

What is humility?
www.youtube.com/watch

Why doesn’t God speak to us directly anymore?
www.youtube.com/watch