The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "RUNNING WITH GOD" for Sunday, 19 June 2016 with Scripture Matthew 6:5-15

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "RUNNING WITH GOD" for Sunday, 19 June 2016 with Scripture Matthew 6:5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners, so that people can see them. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, don’t babble on and on like the pagans, who think God will hear them better if they talk a lot. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 You, therefore, pray like this:
‘Our Father in heaven!
    May your Name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come,
    your will be done on earth as in heaven.
11 Give us the food we need today.
12 Forgive us what we have done wrong,
    as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.
13 And do not lead us into hard testing,
    but keep us safe from the Evil One.
[Matthew 6:13 The latter half of verse 13 is not found in the oldest manuscripts.]For kingship, power and glory are yours forever.
Amen.’
14 For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will not forgive yours.
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When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.[Matthew 6:6 (NIV)]
I am a runner, and over the past 40 years I have stepped out of my home and greeted the day with the step-by-step rhythm of my feet. Some folks have asked me if I run with headphones. I do not. I find that I am better able to have my daily conversations with God if I have no other sounds to distract me.
These morning runs have become my prayer room, and I am thankful for this quiet time with God. This setting is a holy place for me.
My “God chats” range from praying for family members or the needs of friends to asking God for guidance and direction for my life. God is always listening as the dawn is breaking around me. Sometimes answers and results come quickly; others I still wait for, knowing that I may never see a resolution in my lifetime.
Through my own prayer practice, I have come to understand that our prayer practices are as unique as God has made each of us.
The Author: Colleen Forshee (Pennsylvania, USA)
Thought for the Day: Where is my prayer room?
Prayer: Dear Lord, we are thankful that you allow us to pray at any time and in any place. May we be faithful in keeping our appointments with you. As Jesus taught us, we pray, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation” (Luke 11:2-4). Amen.
Prayer focus: RUNNERS

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