Prioritizing Our Prayers

Chuckle: "Pharaoh's daughter was a great financier -- she went down to the banks of the Nile and drew out a little prophet."

Quote: "Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Jesus said: "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one'" (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV). Some late manuscripts add: "for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

The "Lord's Prayer" is quoted widely and has been beautifully set to music. It ranks with up there with John 3:16 as a beloved passage. These words from Jesus were meant to teach His disciples and us how to pray. Perhaps it is more accurate to call this the "Model Prayer." To me, John 17 is more appropriately called the "Lord's Prayer." But, as most do, we will call our passage the "Lord's Prayer." When we pray, we are tempted to jump right in with our shopping list of personal requests for God to grant. But let's look at how Jesus prioritized the contents of this model prayer.

First, we take time to focus our prayer on God, not our requests. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." In reverence and awe, we are to seek the face of God and express the content of our hearts in worship. By addressing God as our Father, we are acknowledging Him as not only majestic and holy, but as the very personal, caring and loving God. We praise Him for who He is and for His loving relationship with us.

Second, Our concern is for God's universal spiritual kingdom. "your kingdom come." In verse 33, Jesus said: "But seek first his (God's) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these (material) things will be given to you as well." As we become concerned about the broader work of God's kingdom, our selfish desires fade into the background. Our concern for the kingdom also reveals our confidence that God will meet our needs.

Third, Our desire is for God's will to be done, not ours. "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Here, we must resist the temptation to put our personal desires ahead of God's will for our lives. If we have adequately conditioned our hearts through worship, we can say with joy that God's will is paramount and we exchange our wills for His. We acknowledge that His will is best for us. We want His perfect will to be accomplished in all things.

Fourth, Now we are prepared to make our personal requests to God, including our physical needs as He wills. "Give us today our daily bread." We may think we provide for our physical needs ourselves by our ingenuity and hard work. But when we ask God for His provision, we acknowledge that He is our sustainer and provider. He wants us to ask even though "your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (vs. 8).

Love, Jerry & Dotse