January 7, 2021 (Thursday)
What is prayer? It is defined and/or described in many ways. One description I really like is from a poem. It is elegant: “Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, unuttered or expressed, the motion of a hidden fire that glows within the breast.” I’m sure if I took the time I would find many such sophisticated definitions or descriptions of prayer. But I choose this one: “Prayer is talking with God.” That’s simple yet profound, with room for all sorts of discussions about what that really means. As with so many ideas within the Christian faith, we probably do more talking about prayer than actually praying.
I recall an excellent illustration of the average Christian’s prayer life. A train was speeding down the tracks and the passengers were getting to know each other. A beautiful little girl went up and down the aisle, sharing her sunshine with weary travelers. Someone asked, “Whose little girl is she?” About that time, the train entered a tunnel and suddenly all was dark. When it emerged at the end of tunnel, there was the sweet little girl, sitting safely in her mother’s lap. She knew where to go. Most of us discover the true meaning of prayer when we are faced with difficulties in life. We then say with the song, “Where Could I Go But To The Lord?”
One day the Disciples of Jesus approached him with one of their greatest requests: “Lord, teach us to pray.” Jesus responded by sharing the model prayer, known as “The Lord’s Prayer:”
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
(Matthew 6:7-13 ESV)
Many people pray this prayer word for word, while others pray their own prayers, taking into account what the model prayer teaches us about our own prayers:
1. We pray to our Holy, Heavenly Father.
2. We approach Him with deep reverence.
3. We ask that the values of His spiritual Kingdom become the values of those living on the earth.
4. We humbly ask that our needs be supplied by the Lord.
5. We ask His forgiveness as we give our forgiveness to others.
6. We ask that our daily lives will be righteous.
7. We ask for spiritual strength to overcome temptation.
We come before the Father’s throne clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, given by grace through faith, and we pray in His Name.
The Solid Rock
Words: Edward Mote, 1834
Music: William B. Bradbury, 1863
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Refrain