What is
prayer?
sometimes
it is saying good morning to God as you wake up, sometimes it is pouring out
your heart to God in the midst of pain and frustration,
sometimes it
is sharing the joy of being alive.
In the time
of Jesus, there were some set prayers, just as we have some standard prayers
today. I am guessing some of you learnt ‘now lay me down to sleep…’ when you were
younger. some of you will have a standard grace you say before meals. Some Christian
groups have particular prayers they say together.
Prayer was
something that Jewish people were familiar with.
Jewish
teachers, like Jesus, often taught their disciples to pray. Here Jesus isn't teaching a prayer, but how to pray.
Notice Jesus starts with 'when you pray' not ' if you pray' . it is assumed that people will pray, that it is a concept they are familiar with.
a few
things to notice,
it is OUR father, not MY father.
also
prayer is about relationship with God and all of God’s creation, it isn’t about
being seen to be praying Jand the pattern:
When you
pray
Start with GodAlign yourself with Gods plan
Our basic physical needs
Our need for forgiveness and grace
Our need for God’s guidance so we don't go off track
And then end with recognising that God is God.
Skit** Lord’s Prayer – two voices
Prayer is aligning
our life to God, not dragging God into our whirlpool of busyness, stress,
desires etc.
Prayer is putting
ourselves into Gods space, and seeking to let God, and Gods will for us, to grow
more in our lives.
Prayer is acknowledging
the brokenness and beauty of all of God’s creation, and seeking our place in
abundant living for all.
“ .. in
the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus directs our concern to God, ourselves, and our
neighbour, and for the strength to care for all three. It’s that simple. That
profound. That important. And so worth slowing down and considering what we’re
actually praying for.” [David Lose: In the Meantime Posted: 17 Feb 2014]
** the Skit is based on one from the book, "If God Talked Out Loud" by Clyde Lee Heering, 1977
