Week 24 “How to Pray” Day 2
Pray:
Ask God to reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Matt. 6:9-13 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Reflect:
It is no small thing that Jesus said we are to pray “our Father” rather than “my Father.” Of course we are to pray in private, but this passage that has been called the “model” prayer is given to us as a public or community prayer. It has been recommended that we “pray long in private and short in public.” This prayer is short and it is public. Praying with others need not be formal, or long, or uncomfortable. It does not need to be tied to meals or special occasions. When you are with a friend or a family member enjoying time or enduring a difficult time, pray together. When you are having trouble connecting with a friend or family member, or having trouble working through a difficult problem, pray together. Peace with God through the gospel brings peace with others in relationships. Our salvation is personal and our relationship with God is personal, but our salvation and relationship with God is revealed interpersonally. Surely, he is “my Father” and “your Father,” but the Lord Jesus said to pray like this, “Our Father.” He didn’t use very many words to tell us how to pray. Therefore, we should pay careful attention to those words he did use. Private prayer is assumed, most do it. Praying regularly with others is not as frequent for most people. It is very likely that as you pray “Our Father” with others you will grow in your depth of understanding and appreciation for the fact that he is “My Father.”
Pray:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today.