“2 So Jesus said to the disciples, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial’” Luke 11:2-4.
In my life the most instructive and helpful gift I have ever received that taught me how to pray is The Lord’s prayer. Let me share a few thoughts with you:
Notice in the prayer above that Jesus teaches us to begin our prayer in Praise of God. So often we feel more disposed to begin prayer asking God for the things we need the most in life. But Jesus coaches us not to begin prayer that way, but instead to begin always with a heart that praises Almighty God. I love that coaching from Jesus because our lives and our faith in God come entirely from God who came to earth and saved us from eternal damnation in hell when He died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later. So of course we should begin our pray in praise of Him whose love gave us life and secured our eternal life with Him in heaven.
So always, always, always being by taking time praising God, thanking God, adoring God in whatever ways He leads you to do so. Don’t worry about your needs and your life when you begin to come to God in prayer. There will be plenty of time for that later in prayer.
Then Jesus coaches us to move towards His will and praying that His Kingdom will come into our life and into the world. In other words, pray that whatever God wishes for each of us and for the world will be our desire in prayer. May Your Kingdom Come is God’s way of saying that we should pray for God’s will and plan and purpose of our individual lives and for the entire universe, pray that what God wants will come to fruition in our personal lives and in the world. What do You want from us and from Your creation, dear Lord?
Then He coaches us to pray that God will give us only what He knows we need — for this day and this day alone. Whatever you pray keep the focus on this day, for God will give us “our daily bread” — all that we need today, without worrying about tomorrow. So keep you heart focused on His loving will for you — for for just this day alone. There is not more important day in our life than today. So ask for His mercy. Pray for faithful living. Find time to be in His Word — today!
And then take time to pray for forgiveness for your sins. And take time to pray to forgive those who have sinned against you. And when you are tempted by Satan, which we all are, pray today for the grace to walk away from temptation and, instead, follow Christ.
This is remarkably deep and so satisfying pattern to follow in prayer. This is the way Jesus wants us to pray. And take time to get away to a quiet place alone, as Jesus often did, in order to be in his presence with no other agenda except what He taught us above. Let God lead you now at this point to speak to Him about what weighs heavily in your heart and soul.
And now if you haven't already done so, open your bible in the Gospels.
You will be so blessed.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
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