Luke 11: 1 - 4 "Jesus said, This is how you should pray: 'Father may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation'." (v. 2-4; NLT - LASB).
In Sunday's dialog between the child praying and God, the first thing that struck me was its conversational nature. In the teaching or learning realm(s), one might say that the persistence or repetition of trying to master [something] is as important as the content of what is being attempted to be learned. In my formative years, a primary recall of exposure to prayer, conjures up mundane mechanical 'rote - ness', lacking empathy or consciousness, let alone any sincere heartfelt belief. In Religious Ed. class at 13, I was promised that a particular litany guaranteed desired results. In Ancient History class, I found that my grade was better served by time studying than my supposed 'go-to' recitation. In re-examining prayer currently, God's faithfulness is center-stage and as simple a concept as I make that out to be, it is exactly what I'm drawn into!
In my 25 yrs. in Corporate America, a significant recollection was a time when I anxiously did a spiel to folks one and two levels above my manager. In spite of knowing my stuff, success didn't happen until a guy I often jogged with at lunch (a level above my boss), turned my presentation into a conversation. In relationship our existence is bettered, and our consistency points to how God's provision is reaped daily, rather than all at once. In the heat of the battle, Lord, teach us to pray and for the subject of the moment - might our conversation be prayer. In listening to Jesus' life I've come to realize the value of getting His precepts into my ears +heart +psyche. There's still plenty of work to do, but even via a rote, child-like repetition can be a path toward beneficial change begin, which enhances my people interaction, increases my joy, and hallows God's name.
In process & in His service - peace, Kevin & your FFC Deacons.