Journey to The Journey

I think the essence of Jesus' teaching here is closely related to the lesson of Cody's Honduras story. When it comes to our sin, things are never what they seem. What often seems harmless, and perhaps even appealing in the moment can have devastating repercussions later on. Once you begin down the slippery slope with sin it can be hard to regain your footing. This is why Jesus tells us to pray that we not be led into temptation. It's a warning that we flee from sin early and often.

Jesus commands us to seek first the grace of Godly grief that leads to genuine repentance and reconciliation. When we come to our Heavenly Father in that posture of brokenness and humility, with a heart that is willing to extend grace to others, then we find ourselves with a heart that is fertile to receive the grace we so desperately need. The two are so intimately and intricately connected.

I think one of the most difficult aspects of prayer is that it feels very impersonal. Can we really commune with the God of the universe...the same God who is creator and sovereign Lord over all things??? Why would God even care about my silly needs when he has wars, and famines, and diseases to worry about? Let's be honest, we've all felt that way. You may even feel that way right now. This is why Jesus' teaching through the Lord's Prayer is so important for us. The first two lines remind us exactly who we are dealing with.

Of all of the many facets of prayer that we find taught in scripture, perhaps the most often misunderstood is that of petition. We are often instructed in scripture to bring our requests before God; sometimes, even incessantly (see the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18). Likewise, we are called to cast our cares and worries upon Jesus. To say that God has granted us an invitation to ask him for things is an understatement. Clearly he desires to hear from us about our concerns. So, why then does it seem that so many of our requests go ignored and unanswered?