Praise God...Just For Being Holy

Luke 11:2-4 - And this is the prayer he taught them: “Father, may your name be honored for its holiness; send your Kingdom soon.  Give us our food day by day. And forgive our sins—for we have forgiven those who sinned against us. And don’t allow us to be tempted.”

 

Jesus prayed a lot….but this time the disciples noticed.  They noticed enough to ask Jesus to teach them what was so special about His prayers. The answer He gave them was beyond wise….so simple…yet so hard to complete with our whole heart and soul and mind…and body…and spirit.

 

He told them to acknowledge the Father who had sent Him there…and worship Him in His holiness. Then ask for His kingdom to come as soon as He could send it. He included a reminder that food from God is freshest and most beneficial to our lives if we feed ourselves on a daily basis…and to forgive others just because God forgives us. Then He ended His best advice on prayer with a reminder to ask God to help us weather temptations.

 

What a great reminder that Prayer isn’t so much about me as it is the one who allows me to live on this earth even one millisecond. I am not given life to be served…but to serve the one who sent me here.  I will admit quickly that I get it backwards more that I get it right….my prayers more like God help this and God do this…and oh God you know how much my heart wants this too.

 

I am so very thankful to God that the forgiveness part of His model prayer is there….because I cash in my need for it every day. I fail so many more times than I succeed in the thing He sent me to do…and will admit that most of the time I have no clue what that really is on any given day. Perhaps the key is in that middle part….forgiveness.  I will say that things seem so much richer and purposeful in my life since I started to practice this more in my life. And…forgiving others is getting easier the older I get.  Maybe it is just that we weather so many storms that we relax in His grasp a little….and He does it for us.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to come to you on a daily basis….if for no other reason than to praise you for being Holy.  Forgive me for the many times I have made my prayers about me and my needs.  Help me to follow your advice and make my prayer time with you more about worshiping you than requesting help.  Amen.