designed to keep you from prayer…

i know so many people who, when they pray, their first thoughts are, “i haven’t prayed enough.” “i feel guilty over my prayerlessness in my life.”  “i’m not sure this will do any good.”  “i’m not sure i have enough time to do it adequately or know how to do it right.”

listen, those thoughts are from the evil one.  they are designed to keep you from prayer, and you must discipline yourself to not allow them to occupy your mind.  you must set them aside and start with the name FATHER.

when you say that, this is GOD’s heart as you come to HIM in prayer.  GOD’s heart says, “this is my son.  this is my daughter.  I love it when you call me FATHER.  I love it when you set aside time to speak with ME about whatever is on your heart.  maybe what we have to say to each other will involve sorrow.  maybe it will be about joyful things.”

“maybe you’ll want to express thanks.  maybe you’ll need to confess.  it doesn’t really matter. once we’re face-to-face, we’ll get around to everything we need to.  I’ll make sure about that.  but I love these moments when you come to ME in prayer.”  JESUS, the master of prayer says, “start with these words, our FATHER because that’s the who of prayer.”

what was JESUS’ intent when HE started the LORD’s prayer with our FATHER?  dallas willard says it like this. “JESUS intent was to bring HIS apprentices to the point where they dearly love and constantly delight in that the heavenly FATHER is made real to earth in JESUS, and are quite certain there is no catch, no limit to the goodness of HIS intentions or HIS power to carry them out.”

JESUS’ design is to bring HIS apprentices  –  HIS friends, you and me  –  to the place where they dearly love and constantly delight in that the heavenly FATHER is made real to earth in JESUS, and are quite certain there is no catch, no limit to the goodness of HIS intentions or HIS power to carry them out.

that’s what it means every time you say our FATHER.  that’s the one to whom you speak.  there is no catch, no limit to the goodness of HIS intentions for you or HIS power to carry them out.

just a thought from the front porch…