9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘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 the evil one.’Matthew 6:9-13
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19-23
Sometimes, when we pray, there is a tendency to just rattle off some words and ask for the things we need. Or, maybe we offer up a quick, passing prayer for someone else in need. In those moments, prayer can be just about “doing” it, and can often feel empty and impersonal. Have you been there?
Thankfully, Jesus modeled perfectly for us how we should approach God in prayer when He taught us to pray, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name! [Matthew 6:9] Prayer is about relationship and intimacy with God, our holy and awesome Father. It is an invitation we are given as followers of Jesus! We have received the Spirit of adoption into the family of God; we are children of God and we, too, can cry out to Him as “Abba, Father”.
This is an invitation to engage God as Father. Our perfect heavenly Father, who loves, accepts, and longs to be in relationship with us. And like Jesus, the choice to pull away and create space and time to just be with Him, unrushed and quiet, allows us to sit in His presence, hear His voice, and receive.
Yes, God is holy, awesome, all-powerful and vast. Yet, He is also completely aware and in the details of our lives. High and lifted up, yet close and longing to be with us. In humble surrender we will find peace, joy, and hope as we come to Him in prayer. Ask God to help you reset your awareness of His presence and of His desire to draw near to you today.
FLOURISH
A Mentoring Journey
FLOURISH: A Mentoring Journey is a year-long curriculum guide, rooted in Scripture and developed by The Flourish Team of Passion City. Now available in two volumes, this mentoring journey encourages women from different stages of life to share their lives with one another through the studying of the Word of God and relevant life topics. Find out more about Year One and Year Two of FLOURISH by clicking the link below.
Find Out More
