At the beginning of every year we have the same cycle of new resolutions. Some want to get slimmer, smarter and richer. And still some want to try to be more generous and better connected to those that they love. And all of these things can be wonderful, beneficial, and bring God glory. It is incredibly wise to dream big and resolve to live healthier, deeper, and more joyful lives. 

We believe that God has filled his kingdom with world-changers who live for a time when justice and love overflow. People who dream big dreams and who are known for their compassion. Jesus brought that kingdom to earth, but he based it all on prayer. Not prayer because he needed something from his Father, but prayer because he wanted a relationship from his Father. 

If prayer was the place our king started when he set out to change the world, we’re committed to following his example. Here are three keys to Jesus’ prayer life that we can learn from before we try and change our neighborhoods by ourselves.

#1. Priority

One of the primary reasons you and I don’t have a more vibrant prayer life is because we are too quick to respond to the storms of life. We are driven by the urgent instead of the important. 

But Jesus knew that if he was going to have the courage to face a storm he had to get away with the Father, in spite of the storm.

We have got to say, “I’m going to insist on getting alone with the Father…even though a storm surrounds me!”

#2. Place

It is interesting that the Gospel writers do not share the content of Jesus’ prayers, but they do share the context for his prayers.

 “Jesus withdrew to the wilderness to pray.”

 “Jesus went up into the hills by himself to pray.”

 “Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”

Jesus had a few regular places and spaces where he got away to be with the Father, and so should we. You need a place to get alone with the Father, whether it’s your dining room table, beside your bed, or in your car. 

You need a place, a ‘holy space,’ where you can get away to be alone with the Father.

#3. Posture

We need to approach the Father with a posture of humility.

Pray to God, “Father, I am here to be with you…”

If we aren’t willing to set our personal agendas aside and learn his heartbeat for his creation, we don’t truly understand our faith. Humility is essential if we want to model our purpose after Jesus’ mission.

Imagine what God could do if we responded to his invitation to simply pray. Imagine what he could do in your home, your marriage, your family, your neighborhood, and your future.

If we just began to get away, to be with the Father.