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CONVERSING PRAYER
(Psalm 131, Matthew 6:5-13—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang)
Prayer is an integral part of our relationship with God. Our God is a relational God. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray by calling, “Our Father.” The indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:15-16) gives us the longing to commune and communicate with God, the Father. We don’t need to wait until we are perfect or holier to come to God.

First, come as who we are.
With all our weaknesses and sins. With all our strengths and goodness. Comes with all our complexity the mixture of good and bad. Just like a little child, they don’t hide anything from their parents or care givers. We come as who we are with a simple trust: God, our Loving Father will always be available and accept us. Who else can I turn to, if not to my God? Just like a little child, we just utter what is in our hearts and minds.

Second, Listening and Praying (Prayer and the Word)
A child learn to speak from what he/she has been spoke to. A child will pick up language from their surrounding! The child will not just utter a word by himself. The same principle applies in our prayer life. Our God is the God who communicates and talks to us. God speaks to us through His Bible. When we read the Bible, we are hearing God speaking to us. In prayer we’re responding ~ we learn to talk in God’s language. 
Prayer and the Word of God are like two sides of the coin. We listen and learn from God, we talk and respond to God in prayers. We grow in prayer and we grow through prayers.

Third, Knowing and Praying 
God knows each and every one of us, but how much do I know about God? A good relationship is when we know each other. We learn to know God not just based on our experience but through His word: God is holy, spirit, all powerful, all loving, infinite, merciful, just, wrath, wise, truth, etc. Prayer is not just a one way communication to place our petitions. But prayer is also a place where we learn to grow in the character of God. As we commune with God the Father, learning more about God and be inspired to grow in His character. Spiritual maturity comes when we become more and more like God, growing in the character of Christ. And this will happen, when we commune and communicate to Him in word and in prayer.

Come as who we are! As we relate and communicate with Him, may we grow to be more like Him! This will reflect in our prayer and our character.

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