Corona Devo 168

Sometimes something can become so familiar and comfortable that we can forget the power that lies behind it.  We all know The Lord's Prayer.  Many of us memorized it long before we could absorb it or understand it.  

What if we absorbed and understood it's power for us today?  It's power to connect us to the Lord.  It's power to humble us before the Lord and to bring His sovereignty over our lives.  

Did you know that in the Book of Matthew we are instructed to use this prayer as an example of how to pray?  Let's do it.

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father who art 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 trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.

13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.  ~Matthew 6:9-13

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 Our Father...~Matthew 6:9

Our Father.  God is the Father of ALL of us.  Not just you and not just me.  Not the Father of one specific culture, skin-color, political background, mask-opinion, or any-other-topic-that divides us.  God is the Father of all of us.  He is Our Father.

Our Father...~Matthew 6:9

Father--He is our protector, our comforter and safe-place.  He is our Father who knows what's best for us and wants the best for us.  If your earthly dad has tainted your image of your Heavenly Father, allow the Lord to redefine what a good Father is.  God is our Father, and we can come to Him with anything and talk to him about everything.  We are his children and He loves us very much.

Our Father who art in heaven...~Matthew 6:9

He is in Heaven.  He is not still hanging on a cross or laying behind a boulder in a tomb: God is reigning on high in heaven because He defeated death.  God is not dead.  He is very much alive both in heaven and in our hearts.

Hallowed be Your name.  ~Matthew 6:9

Hallowed.  Holy. Sacred. God's name is special.  Calling on His name, or praying to Him is holy...and powerful.  God's name is not to be used in vain, it is to be shouted in thanksgiving, or whispered as we weep, or pronounced with purpose as we share our dreams, confessions and hearts with Him.  

10 Your kingdom come.  Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. ~Matthew 6:10

His will can be done on earth, and it is being done, even if we don't always know it or see it.  And we need to continue asking for it.  We must be vigilant in prayer asking God for His kingdom to come.  That is the goal--and it will be the fulfillment of our hope--when His kingdom comes.  And look around at our families, cities, Nation and world today:  please Lord, we pray, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.  Please help us to stop forcing our wills on everyone else, and to begin praying for Your will to be done.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.  ~Matthew 6:11

This verse isn't about having enough money for groceries or plugging in our breadmakers each morning.  It is about God's word!  The Bible!  His word is our sustenance and our daily fortification to make it through the day!  God's word feeds us like bread.  It fills us and gives us His energy and His strength to do life.  He has given us the daily bread of His word, but we must make a commitment to make a steady diet of it daily.

12 And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. ~Matthew 6:12

Oooo, we desperately want the one, but it is hard to fulfill the other.  Have you ever really owned this verse of prayer?  We have so much sin and trespass against the Lord and His holiness.  God has forgiven us of all of it, if we will but ask Him to and accept the free gift of His salvation that Jesus provided for us on the cross.  We have been forgiven big time.  The forgiveness for us is there.  Accept it, even if you feel unworthy.  

And accept the second part as well.  As we forgive those who trespass against us.  Not one of us is perfect.  If we can own that truth, and grasp the truth that God loves us still and forgives us, then it becomes much easier to forgive others.  We have been forgiven much.  We should forgive others of much.  This can be a very difficult prayer to live out, especially when pride stands in our way, or entitlement or even hurt.  But God is bigger, and if He forgives those who have trespassed against us, so then should we.    

13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil. ~Matthew 6:13

Temptation lurks, doesn't it?  And it cloaks itself in many disguises: gossip, empathy, jealousy, entitlement, pride, selfishness.  Pray to the Lord to allow us not to be led into temptation.  We must guard our hearts, minds, and emotions from temptation, and God will provide the protection.  

And if /when we find ourself in the bad, scary, illegal, or evil situation: Deliver us, Lord.  He can and He will.  Pray for protection from temptation and deliverance from it.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.  ~Matthew 6:13

There have been many rulers over time--but only God holds this status: Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  He is the only one worthy of these ideas and realities.  The Lord's reign is beyond our comprehension, but the power of this verse gives us an idea.  

Let's revive the Lord's Prayer.  There is such power and untapped potential when we absorb it and understand it.  God never meant for it to be a memorized chant that falls from our lips like dry cracker crumbs.  

He gave us these words to put our faith into motion, and when God's word (The Bible) tells us to "pray this way", then we should!

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father who art 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 trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.

13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.  ~Matthew 6:9-13 


Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

 

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