Morning Devotional 010226 The ABC's of Praying

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

January 2, 2026

Philippians 1:7-11

7 I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. 8 God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Good Morning! By God’s grace, we are loved!

9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ.

Praying on behalf of others is powerful. There was a time when I felt self-conscious about praying aloud in public. I worried whether I was using the right words, and whether I said enough or too much. After all, I heard others share eloquent prayers that made me doubt my own simple words.

For years, I struggled with this, but one day I had an ah-ha moment during my personal prayer time. Praying is talking to God. We all have our own ways of communicating. Sometimes conversation is formal, but other times it is less formal. During this ah-ha moment, I realized that some of the most powerful prayers I had ever experienced were shared by children saying grace or thanking God. 

At that point, I let go of my self-perceived ideas of what it means to pray and just talked to God. When praying with an individual, I open a line of communication that reflects them. Of course, God knows before we speak, but it is confirming to say the words for me and the one for whom I am praying.

In John 11:41-42, Jesus thanked God publicly before raising Lazarus, saying, "I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me." 

In our times of greatest despair, we find comfort in sharing in conversation with God. Saying our prayers aloud helps us to sense God’s presence surrounding us. 

Redeeming Lord, you bless us abundantly! We worry about saying the right words. Thank you for listening even when our words are jumbled. Thank you. We love you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the day: Praying allows us to talk to God.

God is listening! Pastor Liz