(Day 27)
Within the Sermon on the Mount we
find the prayer we have come to know as “The Lord’s Prayer”.
The purpose for this prayer Jesus
taught is not for us to repeat it mindlessly word by word, but rather to teach
us how to pray. Just a few verses before the prayer, we read when Jesus warned
that we should not heap up empty phrases, but that prayers must come from the
heart.
(Matthew 6:7-8) And when you pray, do not
heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be
heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you
need before you ask him.
Some may wonder: If God already knows
what I am going to ask, what is the need for prayer? There is a simple reason:
God knows what you want, but do you know what God wants? “Praying” is not only
asking and speaking. An essential part of prayer is to “listen”, to be still
and attentive to hear God, to know His Will.
(Psalms 5:2-3) Give attention to the sound
of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you
hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
(Psalms 130:5-6) I wait for the LORD, my soul
waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for
the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
The same principle applies to
fasting. The purpose of fasting is not to “convince God” to favor us in a
particular request. On the contrary, it is to silence our body and soul, to put
our spirit in a position where we may be more aware of God’s voice.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
A whole book could be written about
this prayer, known as “The Lord’s Prayer”, since there is so much revelation in
it. But today, we will just read it and make a prayer using it as an inspiration…
(Matthew 6:9-13) Pray then like this:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
PRAYER
Lord God, You are my Father, and you
are close to me. I also recognize that you are Holy, you have set yourself
apart from everything. You are above everything. I cannot go up to Heaven right
now, but I want you Kingdom to come down to Earth. In my life, I will live the
regulations of Your Kingdom, obeying Your Will. Lord, I know I have failed you,
and I ask you to forgive me. The same mercy I have received from you, I extend
to my brothers and sisters who have failed me.
Lord, you are my provider. Every
blessing in my life comes from you. Bless me and my family every day with
provision for sustenance. For as long as I live in this world, I ask you to
protect me from all evil and all temptation. I recognize you as the King of my
life. I yearn for the day of your return. In that day, every knee shall bow and
ever tongue shall confess that You are King. To You be all glory forever. Amen.
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