"Lord, teach us to pray...." (Luke 11:1b)
I have to confess that my "prayer life" is not something you could sell in book form. So many people who talk of their "time with the Lord," or, "quiet time," sound like they are saying something they are supposed to say. Many are repeating what others have told them their "devotional life" should be like. Personally I like, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide."
When the disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray...," Jesus responded with what we call "The Lord's Prayer." It reveals worship, asking for the Kingdom to come, asking for His will, daily provision, forgiveness, and deliverance from, "the evil one." You have probably heard or read teaching of the Lord's Prayer as a pattern. This does not, however, mean that we should all pray the same way, the same time of day, saying the exact same words in the exact same order. The Bible tells us that we are the Body of Jesus Christ, "and individually members of it," unique, not so much as to assert our "rugged individualism," which is just another form of pride, but important and loved as a Child of God. I wonder if it is something like what I used to do just before I would go on missions when the children were young. I would take each one out to dinner, individually, just the two of us.
Well, didn't mean to go so long. My purpose is to encourage you in your relationship in the Living Triune God. You don't have to copy another's "walk." The widow of Nain, Blind Bartimaeus, Zaccheus all reveal just how important each individual is to our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not use "canned" phrases for everyone. There are "differences" in our walks in Jesus, because Jesus sees each Follower as an individual, not a robot handed some pamphlet. People should stop any cliche-quoting of others. God did not create man as look-act-alike mannequins, but as, "the Household of Faith," His Family, each child unique, very important, and, very loved.
Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to not be out of line in this, but also to not just "follow the herd." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
