I Can Talk to God.

Open Your Bible

Read and notice.

1. Matthew 6:5–13 — Jesus teaches His followers how to pray and warns them not to pray just to impress people.
2. Psalm 62:8 — Notice the invitation to pour out our hearts before God.
3. Mark 14:32–36 — Jesus Himself prays honestly in a very difficult moment.

1

Prayer is relationship, not a show.

Jesus taught that prayer should not be about trying to sound impressive. God does not need fancy words.

You can pray with a few words or many words. You can pray quietly, out loud, alone, with your family, or with other believers. You can pray when you are happy, confused, thankful, angry, afraid, or sorry.

God already knows what is happening, but prayer helps us bring our hearts to Him in trust.

2

Jesus gave us a pattern for prayer.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to begin with God—His name, His kingdom, and His will. Then He teaches us to ask for what we need, seek forgiveness, forgive others, and ask for help against temptation and evil.

This is a pattern, not a password. God does not refuse to listen because you forgot the exact order.

You do not have to use this every time. It is simply a tool.

3

You can be honest with God.

Psalm 62 tells God’s people to pour out their hearts before Him. The Psalms include joy, praise, confusion, grief, fear, frustration, and hope. God is not surprised by your feelings.

Honesty with God does not mean every feeling should control our actions. We can tell God, “I am really angry,” and still ask Him to help us choose what is right.

4

God is not a vending machine.

Sometimes people imagine prayer like putting in the right words and getting whatever they want. But God is not a machine we control.

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane and asked the Father if the suffering ahead could pass from Him. He also prayed for the Father’s will to be done.

God may answer prayer in ways we understand quickly, in ways we understand later, or in ways we do not understand in this life. Sometimes the answer may be yes, no, wait, or something different from what we imagined.

5

Prayer and wise action can go together.

• If you are worried about a test, pray—and study.
• If you hurt someone, pray—and apologize.
• If you are being bullied or feel unsafe, pray—and tell a trusted adult who can help.
• If someone is sick, pray—and let adults seek appropriate medical care.

Faith does not mean refusing help. God often works through wise people, families, churches, doctors, counselors, teachers, and other helpers.

Let’s Think About It

Prayer is bigger than getting the result we wanted.

You prayed to win a game, but your team lost. Did God fail to hear you?

No. Prayer is not a guarantee that every event will go the way we want. You can still thank God, learn, show good character, and trust Him.

You are scared about something happening at school. Should you only pray and keep it secret?

No. Prayer is good, and telling a trustworthy adult can also be the right thing to do.

Talk About It

Questions for a child and trusted adult.

1. What does Jesus warn against in Matthew 6?
2. Why do you think God wants us to pray if He already knows what we need?
3. What feelings can we bring to God?
4. Why is prayer not a magic formula?
5. What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane?
6. Name a situation where prayer and wise action belong together.
7. Which part of prayer—praise, sorry, thanks, or help—is easiest for you? Which is harder?

Memory Verse

Philippians 4:6–7

Learn these verses from the Bible translation your family, church, or class uses. Notice that prayer and thanksgiving are connected with bringing our requests to God.