Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 10 September 2014 "The spirit and shape of our words to God"Daily Scripture: Matthew 6: Pray with Simplicity
5 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
Reflection Questions:
We want all our words, and the meditations of our heart, to be acceptable to God. Perhaps nowhere is that more so than when it comes to the words we speak directly to God, the words we use in prayer. Jesus' teaching about prayer makes it plain that he did not intend the Lord’s Prayer to be a magic formula recited by rote. Instead, it was a model to guide us into personal, trusting prayer, done not to impress but simply to communicate with God.
As you think about the Lord’s Prayer as a model, set your typical prayers beside it and consider which elements of the Lord’s Prayer you often pray. Are there any of the aspects of the Lord’s Prayer that are almost always missing from your other prayers? What ways can you see in which using Jesus' prayer as a model could deepen and enrich your prayer life?
Jesus' depiction of people who think their prayers will be heard because they “pour out a flood of empty words” might recall the bizarre, tragic scene of the prophets of Baal “praying” on Mount Carmel (cf. 1 Kings 18:26-29). They saw their god(s) as inattentive, impassive, and needing to be “won over.” How have you learned to trust that God wants to hear you, and you don’t need to impress God by eloquence or lengthy rhetoric?
Today's Prayer:
God of love and mercy, thank you that in your infinite caring you are always ready to hear me when I pray. Thank you for promising to be with me through all the moments of this day. Amen.
Insight from Angela LaVallie
Angela LaVallie is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.
The things we say are often influenced by what’s in our hearts. Although the formula for the Lord’s Prayer is a reminder of what ought to be in our hearts, not every prayer needs to incorporate all of these elements. That being said, if we’re never praying these elements – reverence for God, opening ourselves up to his will, asking for what we need, confession – maybe we need to look at what’s in our hearts.
Even when I’m alone, I often find myself praying and trying to find just the right words, as if I’m writing a draft for a composition assignment. I have a friend who often begins her prayers with, “Hey, God.” I love the realness of that opening. She prays as if she’s having a conversation with a friend. When things are troubling me or I’m really excited about something, I talk to my friends about what I’m feeling. When I pray about those same things, I find myself holding back and speaking more formally.
One thing that has helped me to become more relaxed with God during my personal prayer time is speaking out loud when I’m praying. It seemed a little awkward the first few times I did it, but when I speak outside my head, I feel more compelled to keep talking and not trying to think of just the right words or the outline of the perfect prayer.
Sometimes, I write my prayers out. In these instances, I do take the time to find just the right words and phrases. Some of the most beautiful and most heartfelt prayers can be found in the Psalms. I would guess that, with all of the vivid imagery and the poetic nature of these prayer songs, David searched for the perfect words that he knew would delight God.
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