Lately, I’ve been reading and pondering the different prayers of Jesus. Thankfully the different gospels record a few. They mention Jesus praying multiple times but every now and then they give us the actual words prayed. I love that about the gospels because when I pray those same prayers I feel a kinship with the originator—Jesus. His most famous prayer was a response to the disciples’ ask of “Teach us to pray.” Of course, we know his response as The Lord’s Prayer. In that prayer, the first few lines are successive imperatives: “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” The prayer gathers energy and increases in intensity only to explode outwardly— “on earth as it is in heaven.” What is equally significant is how Jesus modeled what he prayed. If one were to fast forward to the end of each gospel, one finds Jesus living out that prayer in his betrayal, arrest, trial, and death. In his life, he illustrated obedience. He illustrated the glorification of God. He illustrated submission to God’s will. He understood his life and purpose as a means to fulfill God’s Kingdom. On one level, we see this as something only Jesus can do. Granted there is a great deal of truth in that thought. The uniqueness of Christ was confirmed in his resurrection. Yes, there were and are some things only Jesus did and can do. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are to walk his path. We are expected, even commanded, to live as he lived. We embrace those imperatives of Hallowed be your name, Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done so that they explode with the newness of life for all those around us to see. The Lord’s Prayer is not something simply to be prayed, it is something to be lived.  This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Luke 21 *Tuesday – Luke 22 *Wednesday – Luke 23 *Thursday – Luke 24 *Friday – Acts 1 Prayer Requests: -Our unwillingly absent members. -Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. -Guidance for those seeking to find their way. -Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC. |
| “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6 |