28 Days of Prayer- Day 2-5

28 Days of Prayer Meanderings -  Day 2 - 5

I've most recently been reflecting on the processional song written in Psalm 24 and wondering what it might look like to not only believe (or even just sing the words) that The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it (vs 1), but truly live this song or way in my ordinary life. That is, what would it look like to live where I trust with my whole heart, mind and strength in this holy and mighty God as the source of all? Could I then actually ascend the hill as one with integrity and a genuinely devoted life to God?

I think so... or maybe I actually can't, at least in my own strength and will power? Could it be that that such a way of living actually begins, as did this first verse of Psalm 24, with the Lord? It seems that everything begins with God, the cosmos and even those who live in it. Therefore, it might actually be plausible that the power to be a person in a prayerful love relationship with the creator God, comes from God?

From what we know in the scriptures, the disciples only asked Jesus to specifically teach them one thing, and that was "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1b). What was it that they saw in or about Jesus' prayer life, that this was the only thing they actually asked to learn? Could it have been that the disciples noticed a source of strength, wisdom, direction, power and and maybe even more, love flowing from his prayer life - a way of living they had never seen before in anyone else?

I'm thus challenged once again, to pray, "Lord, teach us to pray"... teach me to not only be a person who does pray, as important as that is as a disciple of Christ, but to be one who is prayer-filled and prayerful and therefore, one in the art of becoming a disciple of Christ. I'm hopeful as well in this challenging journey that the One in whom I'm praying to - the Lord of all the earth and everything in it- will be the One who will search me and enable me to pray (Psalm 139:1 1 Corinthians 2:10). In turn, I can live a transformed life in Christ as one who not only ascends the hill of the Lord with integrity and genuine devotion (Psalm 24:4) but also lives it out in my everyday, ordinary life as part of the family of God participating in God's kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord teach us to pray and live this prayer...

Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and every.
Amen.

After Thought: Pray the Lord's Prayer (aka Disciples prayer) for the next three days along side Psalm 24... and reflect on where both prayers begin and end... How might that change the way in which we live?