that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (JAMES 3:17-18).

DAILY DEVOTION, July 15, 2023

I want to repeat a series of devotions I did three years ago. They are slightly revised. We repeat the Lord’s prayer every Sunday, beginning with the words, “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name….”

The Lord’s prayer was given in response to the disciples saying to Jesus. “Teach us to pray.” What words come to mind when you begin to pray? If we follow the example given to us by our Lord, we should start by addressing God as “Father” and reflecting on the privilege we have to speak to God in this manner.

What comes next on the prayer agenda, according to Jesus?  I am too quick to list the things I want God to do. Perhaps I am asking for help in my life, or I am interceding for others. If we follow the prayer example of Jesus, our next thought should be on the phrase “hallowed be thy name.”

 

Jesus reminds us that when we pray, our first thought must not be of our needs or the needs of others. It is a bad habit to barge into the presence of God with a list of requests. Before speaking to God about our needs, we must pause and remember to whom we speak. We will have proper respect and honor for God, our Father. We are addressing the triune God who spoke the universe into existence. His power and creativity are beyond our comprehension. The prophet proclaims, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? (Jeremiah 32:27). When we honor the name of God, we regard Him with awe and reverence.  To be casual or flippant when we address the Father is utterly inappropriate.

 

Since Jesus expressly told us how to pray, I wonder if starting all our prayers with the Lord’s prayer would be wise. And the first thing to remember when we pray is to whom we are speaking. We are speaking to Almighty God, whose name and person are to be honored and held in the highest respect.

 

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us to remember who You are and to honor Your name when we pray. Help us to withhold our list of “gimmes” until we have given proper honor to Your most holy name. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen