Wednesday - Pray Like This
It’s time for daily prayer! This week we are looking at the phrase, “Your Kingdom Come”, in the Lord’s Prayer.
Pause and Praise
Let’s begin our time by settling in and quieting our minds before our Father. Take a few moments to do that.
(Silence)
Father, so often, I am like Martha in the scriptures. I am worried and concerned about so many things! I choose to give you all the things in my life that presently cause me to worry and be concerned. (Take some time to give those things over to the Father.)
Father, I praise you and thank you that you are not distant or unconcerned about my circumstances. As David said in Psalm 139, you are intimately acquainted with all my ways! I am so grateful for that.
Reading and Rejoicing
Today’s scripture is Matthew 6:31-34
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Father, I rejoice that you know all my needs! I also rejoice that as a follower of Jesus, I do not have to live anxious! This earthly kingdom tells me that I should live anxious yet your Kingdom offers me an option. Thank you for the truth of Psalm 94…”when my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your comfort delights my soul!”
Acknowledging Needs
Going back to today’s scripture, the most important word in this passage to me is: first. But seek first the kingdom of God. Earlier this week, we talked about how we are dual citizens. Citizens of the eternal kingdom of God and citizens of this temporal earthly kingdom. Those kingdoms are often in conflict with one another! As followers of Jesus, we often feel that conflict within! I feel it! Don’t you? This passage is telling us to prioritize God’s kingdom. Make it first in your life. It is so easy to live the opposite, to get caught up in the ways of the world and in our personal needs and desires that we give God our left-overs instead of our firsts.
Let’s pray together about that struggle.
Father, please forgive me for living anxious. Forgive me for not seeking your Kingdom first! I confess that too often I give you my leftovers instead of my firsts! Holy Spirit, I need your help to choose your comfort and your peace instead of my anxiousness. I need your help to prioritize the eternal kingdom above this earthly kingdom in my day-to-day life.
Let’s listen to the scripture again…
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Yes. Saying yes and yielding
Join me in saying yes and yielding to God’s Kingdom
Father, I want to say yes to the ways of your kingdom and no to the ways of this world.
I say yes to the peace that you offer through the Holy Spirit and no to my anxiousness.
I say yes to your comfort that delights my soul and no to the anxious thoughts that easily multiply in my soul.
I say yes to seeking your kingdom first and no to giving you whatever is left over.
As I walk through this day Father, I will say yes to you and your ways.
Lord’s Prayer
Let’s close today by saying together the prayer that we are studying in this series…
Our Father in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen