Today’s readings: Click on today’s date at http://www.usccb.org/bible/
Praying with God
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
Matthew 7:8
Jesus says, “Everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
In Matthew 6 Jesus says, “Do not keep on babbling like pagans … for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
And in Matthew 7 Jesus exclaims, “How much will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
In between these statements Jesus gives us words to pray, which most of us still use over and over: Our Father who is in heaven, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us for our sins, as we forgive others. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
Since he’s been able, our five year old grandson Jack, together with his mom and dad, has prayed before bedtime. Jack, Chris and Melissa talk a bit about what they’re thankful for and what they want to ask God, and then take turns praying.
Soon they will be joined by Jack’s sister Aly, who will be two years old in May.
Gerald May says we are testing God when we leave everything up to him and fail to tell him what we’re thinking or what we want. On the other hand, we trust God when we take responsibility for those thoughts of ours and speak up to God about them.
In this way, May says, “responsible human freedom becomes authentic spiritual surrender.”
Of course our conversation can move on to other things. There is so much to talk with God about besides what we want. Over and over in the Bible he tells us that he wants to know what we have to say, what we are thinking, what we are feeling about him, about ourselves.
And then, as we’ve had our say and we are quieted, he often has something he’d like to share with us. His love, his wisdom, his joy in our salvation. The words of God.
Lift up your countenance upon us, Lord, and give us peace. Your love is teaching us to love you.
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1242
