D2: Pray

As disciples of Jesus we are to be in relationship with Him.  What creates a relationship?  Conversation!  Conversation is a slow dying art with the constant technology in our world today.  But Jesus taught us to pray, so my second discipleship lesson for my kids was on prayer.  Using Story Thru the Bible I read the story found in Matthew 6:5-13 and Luke 11:1-13.  The disciples asked Jesus how to pray and He presented the Lord's prayer. 

We talked about what Jesus tells us about prayer and what His example of prayer looks like: Be clear, say what you mean, mean what you say, be honest, be authentic, don't be scared, these are all true conversation rules, right?  But as our kids lose the art of conversation, they may lose the art of prayer.  It is a discipline, a practice, something you have to learn.  So, I learned a cheat sheet many years ago that I shared with them.

Prayer can be created through the acronym ACTS: Adore, Confess, Thanks, Supplication (or ask for what you need).  My kids wrote this in their journals, along with our memory verse, then drew a picture of a phone, to remember to call God any and all the time.  If they develop a relationship through conversation with Him then they will seek what He has for them, thus fulfilling Luke 11:9, our memory verse.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find knock and the door will be opened to you."

So my challenge to them?  Each situation during the day, see if you can remember to say Jesus in your head and see if it changes your outlook in that situation?  Constant Prayer!

By His Grace