Why Doesn’t Prayer Work? A Look at Prayer From the Example Jesus Set by Wycliffe Bible Translators預覽

Our Daily Bread: How Do You Walk With God?

When you love someone, you look forward to spending time with them. You often want to hear every detail of their day — the highs and the lows, what they ate for lunch and even what they wish they ate for lunch.

Just like you want to be in regular conversation with your best friend or close family member, you should also look forward to daily talks with your heavenly Father. Whatever happens in life — the good moments and the bad — and whatever is on your mind, bring it to your good Father!

The Bible doesn’t share much about Enoch, but it does say he walked in close fellowship with God (Genesis 5:24). He was one of two people in Scripture who never had to experience physical death. (Elijah is the other, and his story is recorded in 2 Kings 2:1-11.) Hebrews 11:5a says: “It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying — ‘he disappeared because God took him’” (NLT).

Enoch’s story is significant because of his close relationship with God. Scripture doesn’t describe what his earthly accomplishments were, but it does say“... he was known as a person who pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5b, NLT). Enoch was a man of strong faith who shared ongoing conversations with his Father.

Even though Scripture gives examples of people who had a relationship with God, there’s no exact formula for creating a perfect prayer life. Certainly, you should draw near to God and let Him draw near to you (James 4:8), but your unique prayer relationship with God might look different from your friend’s, parent’s or pastor’s prayer life (and that’s okay!). Just like Enoch and Elijah, you can strive to live in a dynamic relationship with God by treating prayer as an ongoing conversation — one you couldn’t possibly live without!

Questions for Reflection:

• Consider your closest companions. How did those relationships start? How do you nurture them? Do you have specific people you go to about specific news in your life?
• Have you ever found yourself comparing the way you pray to the way the people around you pray? How did that affect you?
• In The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs you to ask God for your “daily bread.” What steps can you take to pursue a more active relationship with your Father?