Intimacy of Prayer

Jesus and His Father shared intimacy through prayer. You too can experience the intimacy of prayer.

“Raising His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come.’”—John 17:1 NASB

In His hour of crisis, Jesus turned to prayer. It was a personal, intimate prayer, filled with emotion. Jesus didn’t close His eyes or bow His head downward. He prayed with His eyes raised toward Heaven as if looking into the face of God.

In this sacred moment, Jesus spoke with His Father. He talked about the day and hour, knowing that the time had come for Him to be glorified. He spoke of how He had accomplished the work for which He was called. And He continued His time of prayer with all that was on His heart.

Jesus gave us a perfect model for prayer, and our prayer lives will become much more powerful when we follow His example. This means developing an intimate relationship with God as our Father. And instead of rushing through our prayers, we need to spend quality time with Him, freely talking about any needs or problems we face, thoughts we have … anything!

We must approach God with reverence and humility, never taking Him for granted. Yet this doesn’t mean religious formulas or stiff formalities. Something wonderful happens when we have an intimate, personal relationship with Him.

Today, follow the example Jesus set for you. Approach God as your Father in Heaven. Talk with Him openly and freely. Pour out your heart to Him, then stop and listen to His voice. Seek to have a more intimate relationship with Him.

Reflection Question: How can you commit more time to prayer with your Father?