May 12

INTRO

QUESTION:  How is it with your soul?

            This was a typical John Wesley scripture.  For me, the quick and easy answer is, “I don’t pray enough.”  Of all the spiritual disciplines (except Fasting), prayer is my weakest area.  There are several reasons.  When I go to pray, my mind goes elsewhere.  It inevitable focuses on things to do instead of things of God. 

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount taught his disciples to pray with what we traditionally have called  “The Lord’ Prayer.”  This Sunday we will wrestle with this model prayer.

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 6:  5 - 8

 5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6But 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. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

 QUESTION

Do you want credit for your prayers?  I certainly want tax credit for my offerings.  Has the concept of credit fallen into our prayer lives? 

 NOTE

The person (hypocrite) who wants credit receives their credit (“received their reward in full”  But is that the reason to pray?

 QUESTION

What is the reason to pray?

 THOUGHT TO PONDER

"I don't pray to change God's mind, I pray for God to change my mind."

Attributed to C.S. Lewis