Talking to a stranger?

Pray Like You Know God
Matthew 6:7–9; Hebrews 4:16

We often call Jesus our Savior but talk to him like a stranger.

Do you pray like you know God?

One thing I value in preaching is being the same person on and off the stage. I want you to meet the same Jordan whether I am speaking from a stage or sitting on a couch. Yet I catch myself becoming a completely different speaker when I pray. Prayer has never felt natural to me. I have tried to grow in it while also fighting my tendency toward self-sufficiency.

I can spend all day talking about God and still struggle to quiet my mind enough to talk to God. I know he cares for me and listens, but I do not always pray as if I believe it.

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of leading Faye Hodnett’s funeral service. One of my favorite memories of Faye is how she talked about God. She called him “the Father” and often shared what she had told the Father that day. I knew Faye as a widow, but she never seemed to live alone. The Father was real and active in her life. I want that for myself!

Jesus tells us we do not need to pile up words to be heard. Our Father knows what we need before we ask him. Hebrews 4:16 invites us to approach his throne of grace with confidence.

Prayer is not about impressing the people within earshot—or impressing God with our length, vocabulary, or smooth sentences. We are speaking to the One who made us, knows us, and cares for us.

Do you pray like you know God? Or does your Savior still feel like a stranger?