The Cross and Prayer: Learning to Pray Like Jesus

Prayer is the heartbeat of the Christian life. It is how we commune with God, bring Him our burdens, and hear His voice. Yet we often forget that the very reason we can pray with confidence is because of the Cross. Without Christ’s sacrifice, the way to the Father would still be closed. But because of Jesus, prayer is not only possible — it is powerful. This is the central truth of The Cross and Prayer.

Prayer in the Shadow of the Cross

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Matthew records His words: “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39, NLT).

In that moment of anguish, Jesus showed us what true prayer looks like: surrender. Prayer is not about persuading God to adjust His will to ours; it is about aligning our hearts to His perfect plan. The Cross reminds us that God’s will, though sometimes painful, always leads to life and redemption.

When we consider The Cross and Prayer, we are reminded that every prayer must be rooted in trust that God’s plan is greater than our own.

The Cross Opens the Way for Prayer

When Jesus breathed His last breath, Matthew tells us that “the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51, NLT). That veil had separated the holy presence of God from His people. Its tearing symbolized that through the Cross, access to God was now open for all who believe.

The writer of Hebrews declares: “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16, NLT). Every prayer you and I pray today is heard because the Cross removed the barrier between us and the Father.

The Cross and Prayer go hand in hand because Christ’s sacrifice is what opened the way for us to experience true intimacy with God.

Jesus’ Prayers from the Cross

Even as He hung on the Cross, Jesus prayed. His words reveal the depth and breadth of prayer and serve as models for us.

From the Cross

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NLT). Here Jesus interceded for His executioners. At the very moment when pain and injustice were at their peak, His heart was still turned outward in love. From this, we learn that prayer is not only about our needs but about lifting others before God — even those who hurt us. When wronged, we are tempted to respond with bitterness. Jesus teaches us to respond with intercession.

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46, NLT). These words, quoting Psalm 22, express the raw reality of abandonment and suffering. Jesus shows us that lament is a valid and necessary form of prayer. We don’t have to hide our pain from God or sanitize our prayers. Instead, we can cry out with honesty, knowing that God meets us in our deepest wounds. Our prayers of lament remind us that God is not offended by our pain — He is present in it.

“Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands” (Luke 23:46, NLT). With these words, Jesus shows us the ultimate act of surrender. Though His body was broken and His life slipping away, He placed Himself fully into the Father’s care. This prayer teaches us that prayer is ultimately about trust. Whether in life or in death, in peace or in trial, our security is found in God’s hands.

Together, these prayers form a powerful picture of how we can approach God: with forgiveness for others, honesty in suffering, and trust in surrender. The Cross and Prayer are inseparable, for in His darkest hour Jesus showed us how to pray.

Living a Cross-Shaped Prayer Life

The Cross shapes how we pray today, but it also shapes what kind of people we become through prayer.

Surrender — Like Jesus in Gethsemane and on the Cross, we are called to yield to God’s will. In prayer, this means releasing control of outcomes and praying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” This is not weakness; it is the strength of trust.

Access — Because the veil is torn, we don’t approach God timidly or through another mediator. We come boldly. Prayer is not a ritual to earn favor but a privilege purchased by Christ’s blood. When you pray, you are not standing outside God’s presence knocking — you are welcomed inside as His child.

Love — Jesus’ prayer of forgiveness teaches us to let prayer transform our hearts toward others. We cannot remain hateful or bitter toward those we are consistently lifting before God. Cross-shaped prayer turns enemies into opportunities for grace.

Trust — Like Jesus entrusting His spirit, we learn to entrust our families, futures, and fears to God. This kind of prayer doesn’t always change circumstances, but it always changes us. Trust-filled prayer anchors us when life feels uncertain.

A cross-shaped prayer life is not about eloquent words. It is about hearts continually shaped by the love, surrender, and power of Christ’s sacrifice. When we live out The Cross and Prayer, we live with the assurance that God is near, listening, and transforming us.

Conclusion: The Cross Makes Prayer Possible

Every time you bow your head to pray, remember this truth: the Cross is the reason your prayer is heard. Jesus’ blood opened the way, His example guides us, and His Spirit intercedes for us even now (Romans 8:26–27).

So the next time you pray, pause to thank God for the Cross. Let your heart rest in the reality that your prayers are not spoken into the void, but into the ear of a Father who hears you because of His Son.

Every time you kneel in prayer, you are standing on holy ground, made possible by the blood of Jesus. That is the power of The Cross and Prayer.

Call to Action

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