Preceding Grace: #prayer

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 20

“Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
    May 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 do not bring us to the time of trial,
        but rescue us from the evil one.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Matthew 6:9-15 (NRSVue)

This translation is a bit different from what we say in church if you worship at a United Methodist congregation. If anyone from a non-liturgical tradition ever gets on to you for saying a prayer that is written out (rather than off-the-cuff), just point out that you're only following what Jesus told you to do!

What things is Jesus emphasizing in this prayer?

We start out with praise - this is an ordering where we remind ourselves that God is God and we are not. It is good to remember that we are not the center of the universe. All our requests move from here.

What does it look like in heaven to you?

We are praying for God's reign not only in heaven but on earth. This is a subtle way of putting ourselves in the mix. We know that God uses people to accomplish things on earth. How am I going to be a part of this in my corner of the world today?

We're reminded of the Jewish people wandering in the desert who received manna - bread from heaven each day. If they tried to store up enough for the next day, it would rot and smell and everyone would know what you did! How do I put limits on my own need? How does asking for daily bread keep me from greater entitlement?

Forgiveness is important in many ways. We want to receive forgiveness but we also need to grant it. This is the point Jesus follows up the prayer with so it must be important. It may be that we will not understand the depth of being forgiven by God until we learn to forgive others.

No one wants to come to the time of trial. After being in court last year, I can tell you this is absolutely true! And there are times we need to be rescued. Sometimes when my intentions go bad, I recognize that the evil one is me!

At this point, I need forgiveness so I must start the prayer all over again. Who's in charge? Oh, yes, God is holy and I am honoring God rather than the other way around.

I include the Lord's Prayer in my daily prayers to start each morning. It's not a bad discipline for you to pick up during Lent!

Prayer for the day (as a comparison for the changes):

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Photo by Jon Marshall via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 19

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think that 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."

Matthew 6:5-8 (NRSVue)

Prayer is a time when we can communicate with God and bare our souls. It is also a time when we can listen for God's direction, comfort or admonition. In such a private space, should prayer ever be public?

Within the United Methodist tradition, we do offer public corporate prayers in worship. Sometimes these are ancient (such as praying the Lord's Prayer together) and sometimes they are new - something the pastor wrote or discovered in research for the theme of the day. We utilize litanies that are call and response such as a call to worship. Sometimes the pastor prays publicly in worship and the congregation listens and prays along silently - often called a pastoral prayer.

These traditions are different from what Jesus is talking about in today's reading. They are a form of our worship and often bring phrases to our attention that speak to our spirits. They are liturgical - liturgy meaning work of the people - poetic forms of expression to God.

What Jesus is talking about here are public prayers outside of worship and private prayers that we share with God alone. The empty phrases to which Jesus refers reminds us that we do not have to approach our prayer time with any pomp and circumstance. Rather, we can confess what we need to get off our chest. We can ask for aid for loved ones who are suffering. We can seek solutions to problems we are facing. We can ask for direction when we don't know which avenue to pursue. We can simply be grateful for the many blessings we have received.

In order to hear God, we must know what God would want in the first place. This requires us to continue to study the scriptures so that we can shape ourselves in the right direction. Along with a continual movement through the Bible, passages that I always include in my daily reading and prayer time include Mark 12:28-31 (greatest commandment), 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (marks of love), Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruit of the Spirit). These help direct my prayer and allow me to listen for God's direction. The Fruit of the Spirit are also positive words that help me prime my countenance for the day!

By doing this, I believe that I am less likely to ask for things or move in a direction that would be counter to God's will.

As we move through Lent, this is the time when we examine our basic spiritual practices and see what we may need to adjust.

Prayer for the day:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.

Photo by Connor Tarter via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.