Prayer is simply mysterious. At times it confuses and frustrates me, but the desire for it triumphs those thoughts. It is a wanting to speak and yet not knowing what to say or how to say it. For the sake of brevity in my ramblings on prayer, I decided to seek some answers and what better place than the Lord’s Prayer. These are a few of my thoughts regarding each verse.
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
Matthew 6:9
In looking at the first verse, I find it humbling to know I have been instructed to address God as Father and, therefore approach Him as His child. I must not show the immaturity of a child and be rash with my mouth though as Christ warned His disciples about heaping “up empty phrases as the Gentiles do.” Since He knows what I need before I ask Him, what am I to be concerned with then in prayer? I think these are the very things Christ modeled in the rest of His instructions on prayer and will hopefully lead to excellent discussion later. Instead I must approach Him not as some instruct “like you would a friend”, but as a child, knowing He is in heaven and I am here on earth. It is His name that is hallowed, Holy, and to be revered, therefore my words should be few.
I have nearly the same convictions concerning prayer as you do. I am looking forward to hearing more of what the Lord is revealing to you concerning this topic as you continue to meditate upon it and share with all of us what you are discovering. Oh yes, and how dreadful it would be for a man to ask his friend for the gift of eternal life! And expect to receive it!
P.S I love you, man.
Prayer is such a humbling and uplifting experience when done in complete faith and love. The hard part is doing in that fashion and allowing God to truly speak to you which happens rarely and in clarity.
Prayer is also such a show of devotion more so in private than in front of people.