The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Pray Honestly and Continuously


Listen Later

Do you feel freedom and security to pray honestly and continuously in your prayers with God? What holds you back from pouring out your heart to Him or coming to Him again with the same request? How can you trust in Him even if the answer is no like it was for Jesus?

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Full Transcript Below:

Pray Honestly and Continuously
Written By: Emma Danzey

Matthew 26:44 says, “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.”

Sometimes we might ask the question, “Am I allowed to pray what I really feel and think?” The truth is that God already knows our hearts and so there is no point in hiding what we are really going through from Him. However, we should recognize that our God does deserve respect and honor. We can trust Him. Jesus modeled prayer for us in multiple ways in Scripture. One particularly beautiful example is His prayers in the garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested. 

“So he left them and went away once more"

Jesus knew that he wanted the support of His friends, but He also realized that He needed to have intimacy and space as He prayed personally to the Father. Sometimes in life we need to pray with others, but other times we need to pray alone with our God and ask others to advocate and intercede on our behalf in their own times of prayer. There is still a communal aspect of prayer, but it is also very personal to Jesus and should be to us as well.

Do you try to “Get away” and pray? This might look like waking up before the kids or talking to God after they go to sleep. You might have a war room in your closet. You could have a special route you like to walk and talk to God on. You may love to pray while you commute to work. Whatever that looks like for you, or you hope it looks like in the future, keep fighting for that time to be focused in prayer.

“And prayed the third time”

Jesus was no stranger to the concept found in Luke 18:1-8 with the persistent widow or the concept found in Matthew 7:7-8 to keep asking and seeking. Jesus was not ashamed or afraid to go back to God and pray a third time. He knew the value in continuous intercession. Notice that we can pray consistently for others, but sometimes, we do this over our own lives. This is not selfish, this is good to put on the armor of God, to pray for direction, and to submit ourselves under Christ’s authority while sharing our greatest desires and needs.

“Saying the same thing"

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus repeated the same prayer to the Father. He went before Him and made His request three times and it was always the same. Matthew 26:36b says, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 

Why would Jesus, who knew His purpose and mission for coming to earth and knew that He had to die for our sins and would raise Himself back to life, pray this prayer? Do you also find it strange that He would be praying for the exact opposite of what He knew and had told His disciples was coming? Would that not be a waste of time? This makes us ponder our own prayers to God. Have you ever felt like what you were praying about was a waste of time? Or felt as if you were praying the same prayer over and over again? Did it seem like your words hit the ceiling instead of the ears of the Father in heaven? 

I believe Jesus prayed this prayer to show us that even if our outcomes are not a “yes” from the Lord, that our time spent communicating our hearts to God are significant. Prayer bonds us to God, reaffirms our trust in Him, and allows us to have a place to share about our circumstances. Even if we feel like we keep going to the Lord with the same prayer requests and the same concerns, we can remember that Jesus did this. He did not shy away from telling His heart to His Father (and He knew the outcome). There is value in prayer. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:

Do you feel freedom and security to pray honestly and continuously in your prayers with God? What holds you back from pouring out your heart to Him or coming to Him again with the same request? How can you trust in Him even if the answer is no like it was for Jesus?

Further Reading:

  • Mark 26:36-56
  • Luke 22:39-53
  • John 18:1-12

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian PodcastBy The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

181 ratings


More shows like The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

View all
The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast by The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

4,790 Listeners

The Happy Rant by Happy Rant

The Happy Rant

882 Listeners

The Encourager Podcast: Equipping Christian Moms to Harmonize Work and Home by Rebekah Scott

The Encourager Podcast: Equipping Christian Moms to Harmonize Work and Home

147 Listeners

Your Daily Prayer by Your Daily Prayer

Your Daily Prayer

2,020 Listeners

Morning Mindset Christian Daily Devotional Bible study and prayer by Carey Green

Morning Mindset Christian Daily Devotional Bible study and prayer

1,677 Listeners

Rush by Gather Ministries

Rush

1,981 Listeners

Praying Christian Women by Praying Christian Women

Praying Christian Women

185 Listeners

The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble

The Bible Recap

35,186 Listeners

Your Daily Bible Verse by Your Daily Bible Verse

Your Daily Bible Verse

493 Listeners

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study by Ten Minute Bible Talks

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

1,025 Listeners

Mindful Christian Prayers by Mindful Christian Prayers

Mindful Christian Prayers

42 Listeners

Untangle Your Thoughts | Trust in God, Hear from God, Mental Health Tips, Negative Thoughts, Relationship with God, Christian Podcast, Emotional Healing, Spiritual Growth by Jessica Hottle | Christian Life Coach, Spiritual Growth Mentor, Christian Mental Health Coach, Christian Counseling

Untangle Your Thoughts | Trust in God, Hear from God, Mental Health Tips, Negative Thoughts, Relationship with God, Christian Podcast, Emotional Healing, Spiritual Growth

337 Listeners

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple by Nicole Unice,  Bible Study Coach and Author of the Alive Method of Bible Study

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

364 Listeners

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast by Bonnie Gray - Soul Care Coach and Author of Sweet Like Jasmine, Whispers of Rest, and Finding Spiritual Whitespace

Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast

166 Listeners

Faith Over Fear by Jennifer Slattery, Faith Over Fear Author and Speaker

Faith Over Fear

199 Listeners

Single Mom 101 by Single Mom 101

Single Mom 101

63 Listeners

Thriving with Chronic Illness by Thriving with Chronic Illness

Thriving with Chronic Illness

26 Listeners

The Characters of Christmas by The Characters of Christmas

The Characters of Christmas

53 Listeners

Mama, Take Heart by Mama Take Heart

Mama, Take Heart

21 Listeners

Daily Effective Prayer™ by Daniel - Prayer Warrior

Daily Effective Prayer™

258 Listeners

Christian Parent, Crazy World by Catherine Segars - Christian Culture Author and Speaker on Christian Apologetics for Parents

Christian Parent, Crazy World

59 Listeners

Team Us: A Christian Marriage Podcast by Ted and Ashleigh Slater

Team Us: A Christian Marriage Podcast

29 Listeners

Ask A Pastor by Ask A Pastor

Ask A Pastor

21 Listeners

Sparkle Speak by Kathryn Calibeo

Sparkle Speak

6 Listeners

Hearing Jesus: Bible Study, Daily Devotional, Scripture, Faith, Hear from God, Bible, Devotions by Hearing Jesus

Hearing Jesus: Bible Study, Daily Devotional, Scripture, Faith, Hear from God, Bible, Devotions

956 Listeners

Happy Rant Sports by Happy Rant

Happy Rant Sports

15 Listeners

Therapy and Theology by Lysa TerKeurst

Therapy and Theology

1,955 Listeners

Inside Out with Courtnaye by Inside Out with Courtnaye

Inside Out with Courtnaye

33 Listeners

Daily Joy: A 365-Day Devotional for Women by Crossway

Daily Joy: A 365-Day Devotional for Women

75 Listeners

Brad Stine Has Issues by Brad Stine, God's Comic

Brad Stine Has Issues

26 Listeners

Threads of Faith by Edward Grinnan: Threads of Faith

Threads of Faith

6 Listeners

Sleep Psalms with Bishop T.D. Jakes by Pray.com

Sleep Psalms with Bishop T.D. Jakes

741 Listeners

Your Nightly Prayer by Your Nightly Prayer

Your Nightly Prayer

21 Listeners