Category: Prayer

More Wronger

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I know, my title is hideous grammar. To some extent, that is my point.

Those of you who have been following my blog might have seen a pattern. Early this year, I went through Jesus’ Example Prayer by writing about each phrase one time. Then I started going through Jesus’ Example Prayer again, but writing two weeks in a row about each phrase. Now I am breaking that pattern. I want to spend more time on the phrase, “Forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.”

I think we get mixed up about forgiveness. We change the definition of forgiveness to suit ourselves. I call it the “more wronger” idea. I have heard it called the 60/40 rule. As long as the other person is at least 60% wrong, and I am only 40% wrong (or 70/30, etc.) then I am not really wrong. The other person has to ask for forgiveness, but I am off the hook. I don’t think God would agree with that. To be human and breathing is to have the sin nature. Read the book of Romans in the Bible. When we sin, we need to be forgiven. I think that is why Jesus started this phrase with, “Forgive us our debts”. Then He reminds us to forgive others. The two concepts should go together.

I pray this helps you see better who God truly is. Not a made up human view (which is inherently flawed). If we continue to pray as Jesus taught us, we will gain greater insight into God’s character. I can assure you, this is a worthwhile pursuit.

God is so good.

Forgive Together

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When I first started writing about Jesus’ Example Prayer, I was struck by Warren Weirsbe’s observation of the plural pronouns in the prayer. Some concepts are easier to share than others. Forgiveness is a two way street. We often think in terms of one person doing wrong and the other being wronged. I think we need to realize that sometimes both sides of a wrong can be wrong. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners – just read Romans 3. If we are to properly give and receive forgiveness, we need the humility of knowing how much we have sinned against God. The beauty of this concept is that we are not alone – we all need a proper view. I think if we can remember that we are all sinners, we find asking and receiving forgiveness easier.

Forgiveness will always be a challenging concept, but God will help us understand how to work together to live Biblical forgiveness.

God is so good.

I Have to Forgive Them?

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Jesus’ Example Prayer continues with “and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.”  I think we all know that we should forgive, but practically living that out is challenging. 

I remember reading Corrie ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place when I was in high school.  The story gripped me; I couldn’t put it down.  I am still amazed by her stories of forgiveness. I recently read that during the 1975 premiere of the movie based on her story, someone threw a tear gas canister into the theater. The canister had the Nazi swastika symbol. An act that is hard to forgive. Corrie’s response follows Jesus’ example.

“What we have to do is love these people who hate us—love them, pray for them. These people are wounded people who have hate in their hearts. They need forgiveness. They need the Lord. That is the answer we must give.”

Corrie ten Boom

Wow!  God’s power at work.

We need to follow the examples God gives us through people like Corrie ten Boom and her family.  God provides the grace to forgive, no matter the sin.

God is so good.

What Kind of Need

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As we study Jesus’ Example Prayer, we might get stuck on “daily bread” as asking only for physical needs. Our first thought of needs tends to be those physical needs. However, I wonder if we should include spiritual needs in that prayer.

Lydia Brownback in her book Joy: A Godly Woman’s Adornment talks about prayers in the Bible. She says that we tend to pray for physical needs because we know what we gain from them. She encourages us to pray Philippians 1:9-11.

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Lydia reminds us of the great joy that comes from allowing God to provide spiritual needs. (pages 103-104)

Friends, as we pray we need to remember what is important. God cares about everything, but we need to be careful about getting stuck on asking for the wrong requests. We will gain so much more if we pray for our spiritual needs ahead of our physical needs.

God is so good.

But I Need This

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Jesus’ Example Prayer continues with a simple request for our needs to be met. “Give us today our daily bread.”

Our study of God’s kingdom and His will should direct our focus regarding our needs. What we perceive as needs in our lives might be wants. As we take time to pray in the way Jesus’ taught, we will be better prepared to understand our needs. We will also be more aware of the sometimes ordinary and sometimes extra-ordinary ways God meets those needs.

God is so good.

Yours, Ours, Mine – HIS

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Jesus’ example prayer reminds us of the order things should go in. It starts with a few reminders of Who should be first. “Your will be done” is one of those reminders. The only way we can put God first – to be willing to put our own will aside, is to pray and ask God to help us. We need to read and study His Word (the Bible). How can we know His will otherwise?

Friend, I pray that you seek Him today and every day. His way, His will is always best.

Repetition is the Key to Learning

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When I was in 7th grade, my English teacher told us that repetition was the key to learning. Then she proceeded to have us say that numerous times. I have learned the benefit of repetition to learning anything.

God teaches us with repetition in His Word. In Jesus’ Example Prayer, He starts with “Your kingdom come” and then continues with “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Both statements remind us that we need to submit to God’s way instead of trying to live our own.

God loves us so much, that He is willing to repeat over and over again to remind us of what we need.

God is so good.

Whose Kingdom

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As we think about Jesus’ Example Prayer, we should also look at Jesus’ life. Jesus is God the Son. He is equal with God the Father, but chose to submit Himself to carry out His Father’s will. Jesus is worthy of worship. We are not. Why do we think that our own will should be put before God’s? Yet how often do we put our kingdom first?

Friends, keep talking to God. He will show us how we need to live. He will make His way known as we seek Him. His way is worth it.

Control

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Jesus’ Example Prayer continues with “Thy kingdom come.” This is an easy thing to say, but harder to do. Telling God to allow His kingdom means I have to give up my own. I think we mean well trying to build our own kingdoms. We think our plans are going to help build God’s. However, if we don’t carefully spend time in prayer, we risk putting our agenda in place of God’s.

This is the beauty of prayer. When I am willing to give up my kingdom and ask God to build His instead, I gain so much more.

Our View of God

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There are some who think God’s expectation of worship (Jesus honoring God’s holy name is The Disciples Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13) is a sign of arrogance. Friends, God is NOT filled with sinful pride. We are. We think we are wise, but our thinking is inherently flawed. The book of Romans reminds us of those flaws. We need God’s wisdom.  James 1:5-8 tells us how to gain God’s wisdom. When we have truth in our hearts and minds we will understand how God is worthy of honor. 

Honoring Him is a blessing to me. God is so good.