In his book, Prayer, Ole Hallesby wrote: “To pray is nothing more involved than to let Jesus into our needs. To pray is to give Jesus permission to employ His powers in the alleviation of our distress. To pray is to let Jesus glorify His name in the midst of our needs.”

This month do not forget to invite Jesus into your needs. Give him control of your life and allow him to be glorified in you. Remember that Christians must be, first and foremost, people of prayer. This means that every decision we make, every conversation that we participate in, every ministry we are involved in, every worship service is founded on prayer. Prayer is how Christians remain connected to Christ.

This prayer foundation reminds us to listen as much as we talk when we pray. It is easy to tell Jesus about everything that has gone wrong or that makes us unhappy. There is always a sick person who needs prayers for healing. Our own needs seem like they are always at the top of our minds when we pray. These are all things—our complaints, our needs, and the needs of others—that we should take to Jesus in prayer.

Just do not forget to listen when you are done sharing your needs. Instead of making your requests, saying “amen,” and going about your day, set aside five minutes of silence at the end of your prayer and listen. Wait for Jesus to speak. He might remind you of an unconfessed sin or a relationship that needs healing. Or maybe you will hear him say, “This is my child with whom I am well pleased.” You will never know unless you take the time to listen.

The foundation of Christian life is prayer. Prayer includes listening. Now go one step further—take Jesus with you when you are done praying. Why should your walk with Jesus be limited to a small portion of your day? As you walk through each hour of the day, walk with Jesus. Talk to him when you are annoyed or when you are overjoyed. Listen to him for guidance when questions arise during the day. Remember to “give Jesus permission to employ His powers…to let Jesus glorify His name” in your life every moment. Why invite Jesus in once a day? He will employ his power in every moment of your day, if you invite him.

Bob McAlpine is the pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Alamosa and Monte Vista.