WATCHWORD:
Teaching about Prayer and Fasting
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Matthew 6:5-8
Meditation:
Matthew 6:9-13
In the course of the worship service, the pastor tells us to turn to Matthew 6:9-13 and says let us say this in unison. There is no Bible in the pew, you look at one another, search your brain for a clue, nothing. Then the pastor says, “Let us begin…”. and he starts – ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be they name…’ Phew, oh yes, and you immediately follow along the familiar prayer. So, that was in Matthew Chapter 6.
Isn’t it interesting that we have any number of Bible verses that we can recite by rote memory but we would have a hard time identifying where in the Bible that versus appears. I have a friend who can do that seemingly without a problem. Not bad for a car salesman.
I never was good at memorization, neither in the Bible nor in school, it was always a bit of a problem for me. Maybe I didn’t concentrate. Maybe I didn’t see any payoff in all that effort. I know pretty well what books are in the Old and New Testament. Generally, the order in which they appear, and there are any number of scripture passages that I can recite but I would be at a loss say to exactly where those verses appear.
While I wish, I had the memory retention of my friend, and I’m not belittling his gift, it may be more important to know the verse and live the verse and not worry too much about cataloging the verse. What do you think?
In teaching the disciples, and us, on the matter of prayer, Jesus was focusing on the meaningfulness of our conversation with our Father Almighty. Calling attention to the fact that Pharisees and others prayed loudly, mindlessly, repetitiously in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people would notice them, would see them.
In contrast, have you noticed that Jesus often went off by himself to pray? In the prayer He has given us there are certain things included. Jesus teaches us to pray for the things that we need. “Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive our sins. Save us.” Jesus also teaches us to pray for God’s ways above our own. “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” And Jesus teaches us to praise God in prayer, “For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, for ever“. So be it.
Smile, It’s Healthy:
Martha and Mabel are driving and Martha goes right through a red light.
Mable says to herself, “I think she just went through a red light.
Here comes another red light and again, she goes right through it without stopping.
Mable says to herself, “Okay, I’m sure she is going through red lights and if she does it again I am going to say something.
Another red light and Martha goes right through, no stopping or slowing down.
Mabel says to her, “Martha do you realize you are going through red lights?”
Martha turns to her and says, “Oh, am I driving?”
Shall We Pray Matthew 6:9-13:
9 Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain holy.
10 Bring about Your kingdom.
Manifest Your will here on earth, as it is manifest in heaven.
11 Give us each day that day’s bread—no more, no less—
12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive those who owe us something.
13 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
But let Your kingdom be, and let it be powerful and glorious forever. Amen.
