Monday
Luke 11.1 “One day Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Like the intimate and open conversation between ourselves and our most trusted friends, prayer is both a gift and a discipline. In prayer we trust and entrust ourselves to Jesus our most faithful Friend, who has taught us to say “Our Father in heaven.” Be that disciple who isn’t embarrassed to pray, “Lord teach me to pray.” We learn by doing. And so we grow in the grace of Christ through constant conversation with God, before the throne of grace, where we are welcome, heard, and understood.
Tuesday
Matt 6.5 “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
We pray for all kinds of reasons, some of them good and sincere, some of them not so much! God knows our heart, our motives and the things that drive us to prayer. Most of our prayers are tinged with self-interest – seeking blessing, praying for those we love, unburdening guilt or anxiety. That’s all fine, “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” (I Jn 3.20) But prayer mustn’t be a put on performance to impress others. Always speak to God with confidence, and in strict confidence!
Wednesday
Matt 6.6 “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
The reward is that we are heard, and that we know we have poured out our secret desires before the Love we trust, and placed our hidden longings into the safest of hands. We never pray but God is there, attentive and knowing, loving and forgiving, touching us with grace both gentle and powerful, holiness restoring our wholeness. Jesus is speaking from experience, his own intimate trust in God is to be the model for all our praying. When we pray we are enfolded in love, and upheld by grace.
Thursday
Matt 6.7-8 “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
There’s no need to talk God to a standstill! We won’t wear God down with conveyor belt prayer requests. We don’t need to persuade, coerce or put pressure on God – as if we ever could! No, Jesus is telling us that prayer is more about letting God get a word in edgeways. Speak your heart, God already knows all that’s in there, even what we can’t put into words. Prayer is an act of trust, not an information bulletin to let God know what’s going on. Our every prayer is a confession of our dependence on God, and is an act of faith that God, in loving wisdom, knows what is good for us.
Friday
Romans 12.12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Joy doesn’t just happen, nor is hope mere optimism. Joy is a decision based on gratitude to God, and hope is faith arguing against leaving God out of the equation. Patience when life feels crushing draws its strength from persistent trust in the God of hope. But our faith, and hope and joy are sustained by God. So it’s when every aspect of our lives is faithfully brought before God that we receive the strength to go on trusting, grace to continue in hope, and develop resilience as disciples of Jesus.
Saturday
Ephesians 6.18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
This is Paul in full-on mode! All occasions, all kinds of prayers and requests, always keep on praying for all the saints! Prayer isn’t confined to a quiet time, and once it’s done that’s it till tomorrow. Prayer is more a way of viewing the world with God on the horizon; meeting circumstances of crisis or routine with a prayerful disposition. Prayer is our second nature, a default Christian approach to problem solving, the fulfilling of God’s call to be a conduit of God’s grace, love and presence in the lives of others. “Be alert”, pay attention to the world around you - and talk to God about it.
Sunday
Ephesians 6 19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains.”
This is the loveable, vulnerable Paul. Oh, he fully believed all he wrote about God’s grace being sufficient, that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. But that’s just the point, it’s Christ who strengthens him, and God’s grace that is sufficient. In ways we can never know, but fully believe, our prayers give renewed faith, recovered strength, and fresh resilience, to those we know are struggling, and for whom we faithfully pray. There is a communion of saints that is both mystery and miracle. We are the Body of Christ and individually members of it – when we pray for each other we pray for ourselves, and our common life in Christ. We each have the right to ask - “Pray also for me.”
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