When we don't know how to pray
In recent weeks, I have again beenreminded of the power of a prayer given to us in answer to this question, “Lord,teach us to pray.”
Though I imagine many of us find the Lord’sPrayer a comforting prayer, it is so familiar that on this side of heaven, wemay underestimate the power in those words of Jesus that Matthew and Luke recorded.We may forget their significance and how God can use them to change not onlyour lives but the lives of others. Because of this, we neglect to pray the verymodel of prayer Jesus taught His disciples ... and us.
The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer of worship,of surrender, of petition, of repentance, of seeking protection, of exaltationof our God, and much more.
Some have said that though it seems ashort prayer, it would take a long time to thoroughly pray every word.
The Lord reminded me in recent times to useit in praying over health situations—one of them is as difficult as difficultcan be. Now I wake in the night repeating those words.
At times, when our faith struggles and oureyes tell us a situation is impossible, we may be challenged to know how topray, but we can always count on the words Jesus spoke, “Thy will be done onearth as it is in heaven.” We know whatour will is for ourselves or our loved one, but we surrender our wills to Hisin order that His will be done. We want our will to align with His will. We areasking that the heavenly order would overtake the earthly realm and that God’swill would reign supreme.
For His is “the kingdom, and the power andthe glory, forever.” God alone is all powerful, all knowing, and He alone is capableof handling the sometimes overwhelming problems around us.
With all the Lord has been speaking to meabout the Lord’s prayer, I shouldn't have been surprised to find those verses the subject ofa Bible lesson this past Sunday. It was if the Lord were saying, just in casethere were any question about how important His reminders of praying the Lord’sPrayer have been, I should persist praying this prayer given to us straight from the lips of Jesus.
If you find yourself in a difficult circumstance,not knowing where to turn--turn to the Lord and the words He has given us topray. If you don’t know them from memory, find them in the gospel of Matthew 6:9-13or Luke 11:2-4. Linger over the verses. Let’s let the words workin our own hearts as we pray them.
“Our Father whichart in heaven,
Hallowed be thyname.
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be donein earth, as in heaven.
Give us this dayour daily bread.
And forgive us ourdebts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us notinto temptation, but deliver us from evil;
For thine is thekingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.”
Amen, indeed.
Beverly Varnado's most recent book is In Search of the Painted Bunting, a middle grade historical from Elk Lake Publishing, #1 in new releases in its category. She is also the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.comTo sign up for her newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/dHNdsX Beverly Varnado copyright 2023
