Dave's Diary

Prayer

Before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:37 & 40

Holy Spirit, in this sacred moment of prayer and reflection, turn my eyes away from worthless things, and preserve my life through the directing ministry of your Word. I long for your precepts. When I live by them, I know my life will be preserved. Amen.

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your awareness of the voice of God, coming to you through His Word.

Reading

Matthew 6:7-13

Yesterday Jesus called us not to be like the hypocritical religious leaders who prayed from selfish motives. In today’s reading, He calls us not to have a pagan approach to prayer, where praying longer prayers or prayers with just the right “magic” wording will ensure that God gives us what we demand.

Instead, Jesus invites us to a very simple structure of prayer that will help us to align our hearts to the heart of God. We know it as “The Lord’s Prayer”.

Jesus did not intend this Prayer to be a magic formula which we simply recite daily. We know this because He has just told us not to pray like the pagans. Rather, He offered it to us as a model or an outline of a time of prayer. In it we see the heart of true prayer revealed. True prayer is intimately and humbly relational (“Our Father in heaven”) and worshipful (“Hallowed be Your Name”). True prayer is submissive (“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done”) and it is missional (“on earth as it is in heaven”), True prayer is dependent (“Give us this day”), repentant (“Forgive us”) and restorative (“as we forgive”). True prayer is an act of humble surrender (“Lead us not into temptation”) and trust (“Deliver us”).

Why not take time now, and again at midday, to slowly pray the Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase.

• Speak out your love and worship for God.
• Think about what is coming up in your diary this morning (and again this afternoon) and surrender it to the Lord, asking that His Kingdom be extended and His will be done through your daily activities.
• Bring Him your genuine needs and those of your loved ones.
• Ask His forgiveness for your failures
• Ask for the grace to extend forgiveness to those who have wronged you.
• Surrender to His will for your day, listening for His guidance and committing to obeying the whispered warnings of the Spirit in your conscience as your day unfolds.

How could you pray the Lord’s Prayer in your own words today? And everyday

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ: I will pray as Jesus taught me to 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.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.. Amen.