When the disciples would see Jesus go off and pray, I believe they were wondering what all he was praying about. It comes down to more than lists. It is a frame of mind and a oneness that was the focus. During the day Jesus would be teaching and in the evening he would be off by himself praying.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus touched on the area prayer before he taught them the Lord’s prayer. He said not to be like the hypocrites who stand and pray for others to see. It is better to seek the audience of One than to seek the applause of men. He also said to not use man words for God already knows your need before you ask him. He then put out the pattern for prayer found in Matthew. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:9-15 I want to especially draw your attention to verse 11. Asking the Lord to give us our daily bread. A physician name William Ostler was one of the founders of John Hopkins University. Early in his life while he was still in school he was filled with worry and anxiety about the future. His final exams were coming up, and he was uncertain about what would happen after graduation. One night he happened to pick up one of Carlyle’s books and read the following sentences: “Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Those lines make a difference. Years later when he returned to his native England to receive a high honor from the King, he said in his acceptance speech: “More than anything else I owe whatever success I have had to the power of settling down to the day’s work and trying to do it to the best of my ability, and letting the future take care of itself.” If you are unsettled with an issue that may be going on in your life today, then take the words of Jesus as he modeled it for all to see. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Give over your cares to the Lord and watch his peace flow through your heart. “O God, grant us the serenity to accept what cannot be changed; the courage to change what can be changed; and the wisdom to know one from the other.” Reinhold Niebuhr There is no one who cares for you more than Jesus. He is walking with you no matter where you have been. Give Him this day and trust his heart to give you what you need for tomorrow. Joy in Jesus! Pastor Mike
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Rev. Mike McClurgSenior Pastor, Findlay First Church of the Nazarene Archives
March 2020
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