Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done. on Earth

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our tresspasses,

as we forgive those who tresspass against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdo mand th power and the glory

Forever and Ever.

AMEN.

How many time have you said this in your lifetime? If you are like me, too many to count. We said it before every softball game (15 years worth), we said it before every marching performance, we even say it now after every intramural event that we participate in, but what is it.

Growing up, I htought that to pray we had to use the Lord's Prayer in every single one. That God would only listen if we said what Jesus said. As I got older it became a game, in a sence. As long as I kept reciting the Lord's Prayer, I would be fine.

I eventually got to a point when I started asking questions: When should we pray? What/who do we pray about? And should the Lord's Pray be anywhere in the mix?

It wasn't hard finding the verses that say we should pray continually. We should pray in trouble and in good times. We should pray for other believers and non believers. The sick and the
healthy. But I never found anything reguarding the Lord's prayer.

Jesus was giving us a model. Not exactally what to pray, but how to pray, or the order we should pray. We should start with praises to God. God is soverign and should be prioity in our prayers. Then we should pray for others (thier needs). We should end with ourselves (what we are struggleing with, what our needs are).

Did you notice where we ended up? Prayer isn't about us, or getting something for yourself, its about glorifing God. My prayer life isn't the greatest, but I want it to be better.

Prayer is the easiest way to get closer to God, as long as you aren't always doing all the talking!