Wednesday - Pray Like This

Welcome to daily prayer. This week we are beginning an eight week journey with the Lord’s Prayer called “Pray Like This.” This prayer was given to us by Jesus and lived out by Jesus all the way to the cross. He doesn’t mean for us to only recite the words but to be shaped by it. Every line of the prayer is a call to align our lives with God and what he is doing in the world. This is the prayer for heaven to come to earth. 

During our time we will pray using the outline P.R.A.Y. together. 

P-Pause and Praise Him. We set our eyes on him. 

R-Reading a passage of Scripture and Rejoicing in God and his grace. 

A-acknowledging our needs and asking God to help us and others. and 

Y-Yielding and saying Yes to God’s ways. 

This first week we are focused on who we are addressing in prayer, which is Our Father. Jesus tells us two ways that we should not approach God and the way he wants us approach him.

As we begin our prayer now, let’s take a few deep breaths and remember that prayer is not a performance but a relationship with a Father who sees, knows, and loves us.  

Lord, I set aside everything grabbing for my attention. 

We remember that you are with us.

Praise:

O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare you praise. 

Father, I praise you. I praise you as my creator and my provider. 

You are above all things exalted in heaven, ruler over all and you are with me.

You sent Jesus to remove every barrier so I could draw near.

Lord, you have given me a place to belong and a people to belong to. Lord, you are my refuge and strength.

A Scripture Reading from 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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But 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. 

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

A Time to Rejoice:

Father, I rejoice that you notice what no one else sees. I rejoice that I am invited to come boldly to you. Jesus invited me and has shown me how. I rejoice that you want a relationship with me and God I adore you as the one who sees what is done in secret and rewards us. 

You are a Father that rewards our honest prayer. 

I thank you and adore you that you aren’t looking in order to critique or punish me but you are looking to reward us. 

Lord, I know my thoughts and I’m embarrassed but you know me and still invite me to draw near. 

A Time to Acknowledge and Ask:

O Lord, you tell us not to approach the Father as hypocrites who act different in front of others than how we are when it’s just you and me. I admit that I have done this. Forgive me Lord. 

Lord, you don’t want us to act like pagans who don’t know who you are. Who believe there are some sort of magic words and formulas for getting you to do what we want. 

Father, you want us to know you and know your heart. 

O God, I acknowledge that I have doubted that you see me and I’ve believed that you don’t care. Forgive me Lord. 

I confess that I have been more interested in the praise of people than the reward that I would receive from being with you. I turn away from seeking the approval of others. I give you my attention, my heart, and my allegiance today. I reject the lie that my worth is found in the opinions of others.

Lord, I ask that you would teach me how to be with you and pray. I want to sense your grace and shift my focus from myself to you. Teach me to desire your presence and grace more than the praise of others. Teach me to pray according to your will and to believe in your love. 

I want to cultivate a secret life with you Lord that is full of joy and life. 

And Lord, we pray this for everyone in our church family. Lord, teach us to pray. 

As we listen to the passage again, let’s listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit is highlighting for us today. Let’s listen with a heart that is ready to yield to God and say Yes to his ways. 

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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Yield and Say Yes:

"Father, I say yes to a deeper life of prayer. I believe that you are listening and that you see what we pray in secret. I let go of my desire for recognition and choose intimacy with you. 

Teach me to live before your eyes confident that you see and care. 

Father, fill us with your love. Help us to love you and to love and see others the way you do and give us grace and courage to do what you say. 

Let’s finish by praying the Lord’s Prayer together, 

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

    on earth as it is in heaven.

11 

Give us today our daily bread.

12 

And forgive us our debts,

    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen

*Special thanks to our friends at 24/7 Prayer and Lectio 365 for the outline P.R.A.Y.