Prayer Balance September 6, 2022
Tuesday, September 6th
Take5 Devotional today written by Rik Bright, Director of Facility Operations
Prayer Balance
“This then is how you should pray – Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”
Matthew 6:9-13
My Bible calls this “the model prayer.” In it are contained the basic essential elements of what our prayer life should contain. This is not a formula or a set process but rather an easy way to be sure that we are balanced in how we approach God’s throne. Our prayer should contain (1) Praise, as we acknowledge His perfection and His position as our source of all things; (2) Thanksgiving, whereby we recognize the good things He has delivered to us regularly; (3) Confession, calling us to be open and honest with Him, recognizing the sin in our lives and promising to do better; (4) Intercession, causing us to focus on the needs of others and; (5) Supplication, which is a fancy word for praying for ourselves.
Let’s add one more important aspect to a successful prayer life – (6) Listening. This is likely the toughest, least used, and one of the most important parts of our prayer life. Stop, pause, quiet yourself, meditate and allow Him to speak to you. Asking Him to do so can be one of the most rewarding and life-changing aspects of your Christian walk. Read Isaiah 40:31.
May we be people who express their needs, desires, and affection toward Him AND people who also “wait on the Lord” for His direction (Isaiah 40:31).