DEVOTION, from Marie

2 Chronicles 7:14 

If my people called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins.

One hundred fourteen times, the word prayer is mentioned in the Bible, between the Old and New Testaments. We find instructions on how to pray in Matthew. From the Old Testament, the verse above tells us to be humble and turn from sin, and you will be forgiven. Simple enough, right? For many, the most often heard statement is, “I don’t know how to pray.” You are not asked to be mini preachers to give your hearts and problems to God. No matter how small or sizeable your issue is, God listens. He hears me ask for help to find my sunglasses, and he hears my concerns for a church member. He knows I am talking to a good friend through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Heavenly Father, let us imagine you sitting with us and listening as we share our thanks and our concerns with You, our friend, We are all sinners, and we trust you will forgive us when we admit our shortcomings. We need to remember to talk to you in all we do and imagine that you are sitting with us aways for a one-on-one conversation. We can pray for a deeper understanding of what prayer is—talking to a good friend. In Jesus name, Amen.