Tuesday - Pray Like This

Welcome to Daily Prayer. This week, we're reflecting on the phrase, "Give us today our daily bread."

Jesus teaches us that our prayers are to be shaped by the desire for God to be known, and with a surrendered heart that desires his kingdom and will to be done. From that posture, he teaches us to pray for our daily needs.

Each day, we'll simply pray P.R.A.Y. together.

P: Pausing to be with him and praise him.

R: Reading scripture and rejoicing in God's grace.

A: Acknowledging our needs and asking God to help us.

Y: Yielding to God and saying yes to God's ways.

As we begin our time together, let's slow down and take a few deep breaths.

Let's praise the Lord together.

Lord, we praise you as Yahweh Yireh, our faithful provider. You always see to it that we have what we need. We praise you for your love and faithfulness. You will never leave us or forsake us. We praise you and declare, there is no one like our God.

A Scripture reading from Proverbs 30:7–9:

"Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die.

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'

Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."

A time to rejoice in the Lord:

Father, today I rejoice in your sustaining grace. You know what we need; you are able to provide what we need, and you are willing to provide what we need, even in desert seasons. We can trust you no matter what.

Let's acknowledge our needs to the Lord:

Father, I acknowledge that I'm prone to wander, and I'm prone to worry. Keep me from dishonoring your name. I'm asking that you would teach me the secret of contentment. Lord, you alone know what will help us remain close to you. Keep us from lying to ourselves about our relationship to money and possessions.

Lord, only you can satisfy.

I'm asking that you would shape us into people who treasure you above every earthly gift. Help us to see ourselves as your children and not as orphans in the world. I confess that I have hoarded what you intended me to receive with open hands. Teach us how to be a generous, grateful, and joyful people.

Let's take a minute to ask God to meet our needs for today. Think about what you need from God in order to walk in love and honor him with your family, at work, and in our community. Let's be specific.

Lord, we're asking that you would meet our needs today and help us walk in love.

As we listen to the passage again, let's listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to impress on our hearts today:

"Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die.

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?'

Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."

Yield:

Father, I say yes to removing what hinders me from loving you and others. I surrender my craving for comfort, my fear of loss and scarcity. Father, I lay down my desire for more than I need, and I trust you to provide enough for today. Lord, I look to you for life.

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

As we finish our time together, let's join in with the saints that came before us and the body of Christ around the world today by praying the Lord's Prayer:

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.