February 12, 2012

"Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."  Matthew 6:11-12

 

 

 

I didn't agree with everything that Rick Warren wrote in his "Purpose Driven Life" book, But I strongly agree with one of his main premises in the beginning of the book. Warren states that "It is not about you" - "it is about God". And it is!

Why then do we act as though we think prayer is about us?

In response to the disciple's request "Teach us to pray" Jesus gave them this prayer we have  come to know as The Lord's Prayer. Truly it does teach us about praying but also reveals much about the God to Whom we pray.

Jesus taught us to use prayer as a way of worship. Since prayer connects you with the Person of God and brings you into the presence of God and helps you praise God, this prayer is indeed, worship.

Also, prayer helps you do the will of God. Through prayer you can align with the will of God and accept His will and then act on it in daily living.

So, Jesus reveals that prayer is important to worship and important to doing His will, but also prayer helps you get what God wants for you. I know that many believe the purpose of prayer is to convince God to give them what they want from Him. But if you study it you will see that it is more about getting what God wants us to have.

First, God wants to give us food each day. Based on the word used in the original language, you could conclude that God wants to provide for you physically, emotionally and spiritually! You cannot live without food and God wants you to live and live abundantly.

Second, God wants you to enjoy fellowship with Him. God wants you to rely on Him on a daily basis so that you will have to commune with Him daily in order to receive the supply He has for you. We saw the evidence that God wants you to know Him in the "NOW" and enoy Him in that moment.

Third, God wants you to to know forgiveness for your sins. Being forgiven allows you to come into fellowship with a Holy God. Receiving His salvation through Christ for the forgiveness of sins is HUGE! Once you are forgiven you will find grace to forgive those who might sin aginst you.

Food, fellowship and forgiveness are three things you want and desparately need. God will give you those things if you will pray and ask Him! According to the Lord's Prayer He wants those things for you!

Why should you care about prayer? You shoudn't care about prayer unless God's worship is important or unless His will is important or if His wants matter to you.

If any of those or all of those are important to you, then you need to understand the importance of prayer. Pray away!