How to Plead with God in Prayer

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O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

Why would God listen to an unclean, unrighteous, dried out, and unstable person? Isaiah gives us two reasons here in Isaiah 64:

First, plead the relationship you have with God (your Father): Notice Isaiah appeals to the covenant relationship he has with God: “O LORD, you are our Father” (64:8). That’s the relationship we have with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Father.

When you come to God, say, “Lord, I am an unclean, unrighteous, dried out, unstable person, but hear my prayer today because you’re my Father! In Christ, you’ve adopted me as your son, your daughter.” The only prayers ever offered by a sinless person were the prayers of Jesus. All our prayers hang on the mercy of God. Plead the relationship you have with God in Jesus Christ.

Second, plead the relationship you have with God (your Potter): When Isaiah prays, “We are the clay, and you are our potter,” he is inviting God to make whatever He wants of his life. Isaiah is saying, “Here’s my life. Make of me anything You choose. You are the sovereign Lord.”

Prayer is not about you getting God in line with what you want. It’s about us getting in line with what He wants. It’s saying, “You are the Potter. I am the clay. I want You to shape my life. Make of this life anything that You want. Do anything with me and in me that pleases You, because I know that what You do is always good.”

As you pray, will you plead the relationship you have with God—by pleading for mercy (from your Father), and inviting Him (the sovereign Lord) to make whatever He wants of your life?