For you have not received

a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,

but you have received

a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,

"Abba! Father!"

(Romans 8:15).

The biographers of Jesus bespeak a curiosity around his practice of prayer. The gospels, in fact, feature at least nine prayers offered by Jesus. Read portions of his prayers below; observe that Jesus--with one exception--addressed his supplications with the familiar appellation, "Abba, Father":  

"When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation'" (Luke 11:1-4).

"I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight" (Luke 10:21; Matthew 11:25-26).

"Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me" (John 11:41-42).

"Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." (John 12:27-28).

"Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You...'" (John 17:1-5ff).

"My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:36-39; Mark 14:32-36).

"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing"

(Luke 23:33-34).

Now, here's the exception...In the final moments of his life, Jesus experienced a brief but painful and apparently unanticipated sense of detachment from the Father; in anguish he cried out: 

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

In this moment, when darkness veiled the sun and the cross separated Son and Father, we discover an essential truth of prayer: the depth and intimacy of our relationship with God, in this moment, impacts the depth and intimacy of our prayers, in this moment.  

Moments later, sensing reconciliation, Jesus returned to his familiar custom of invoking his Father:

"Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last" (Luke 23:44-46).

It's said that communication is important to a relationship; I'd suggest, instead, that communication is the relationship. I can determine, as can you, most likely, the depth of a relationship after hearing just a moment or two of conversation.  

But what of your relationship with God? What does your communication with God--your inclination to pray, the context and content of your supplication, the familiarity of your invocation--suggest of the depth, the intimacy, of your relationship with God?