Prayer – Heavenly Father—You are an awesome God. May everyone see You as Holy. I am eagerly waiting for Your Kingdom to come soon—although I know that You are here with me already and always in the form of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for the food—both to nourish and strengthen my physical and spiritual body, providing a healing touch. Forgive my sin…as I forgive those who offend me. May I not go down the path of temptation—but follow Your ways in all that I think, say and do.
Meditate. Consider Jesus’ teaching.
Just
before Jesus spoke these words He introduced the topic of Prayer in His Sermon
on the Mount saying…
When you pray, don't be like the
hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues
where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they
will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind
you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything,
will reward you. When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other
religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their
words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what
you need even before you ask him! Matthew 6:5-8
He
was speaking to a huge crowd…a multitude that had followed Him…that had heard
of or experienced His healing as He had been going about Galilee teaching in
the synagogues, proclaiming the gospel and healing (Matthew 54:23). One thing I
noticed in these passages is that Jesus didn’t say “if” you pray…but “when
you pray” indicating that He expects us to pray—to talk to Him and to the
Father. That is the way we develop a relationship—communicate.
As
recorded in the book of Luke, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
Once Jesus was in a certain place
praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, "Lord,
teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." Luke 11:1
At
that point the prayer similar to the one from Matthew is repeated.
Jesus said, "This is how you
should pray: "Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come
soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive
those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation." Luke 11:2-4
Is
the Lord’s Prayer the model that you use to pray? Or was it once a guideline
for your prayers? Have you ever memorized it? Pray for me…and I’ll pray for
you.
Verse of Salvation ~ He called you to salvation when we
told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:14
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
Revised from January 6, 2019 “Banquet With The King” blog.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M. Hunacek
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