Too many of us view prayer as simply a way to “get things done” — as flattery in order to get something we want — rather than communication with God as a result of our personal relationship.

Often some of the greatest hindrances we face come from our own teaching methods. In an effort to make everything easily applicable, we come up with “formulas” and “handles” for biblical truth. Sermons become “three points and a poem,” where the points always start with the same letter and have a clever rhythm. Commentators strain to devise catchy outlines for books of the Bible, and force the written text to fit into their confines.

We try to reduce Christianity to “steps,” and we search the Scriptures not to allow them to speak for themselves but to find proof-texts to justify our “ten steps to become spiritual.” As a result, people are more concerned with remembering a teacher’s points than they are in personally encountering God through His Word.

Prayer is talking with God. It is intelligent, personal communication with our heavenly Father whom we love and who loves us. The purpose for which Jesus Christ redeemed us is to make this personal relationship possible. As mind-boggling as it may seem, God earnestly desires an intimate relationship with us, and He wants to give of His best, which is Himself, to us!

I can hardly imagine a worse tragedy in the life of a Christian than for him to go through this life, being forgiven, justified, alive in Christ, and an heir to an eternal inheritance, without discovering the incredible joys of knowing Him.