My reading this morning was in Matthew 6. I'm sure you all know this chapter, what we commonly know as the Lord's prayer. It is really the prayer outline Jesus used to teach the disciples how to pray. Why wouldn't they have known how to pray? They were Jews and had frequented the temple. They knew how to take their sacrificial gift to the priest. So why ask Jesus to teach them how to pray? I believe they saw answers to Jesus's prayers. They felt power in His prayers.
And you? How do we pray to get results? Prayer is about God, His glory. My prayers are not for selfish purposes. It is not a bandaid to put on my hurts. It is to place my total trust in God, knowing that He hears my groaning, and desires to give me what is best for me. Not always what I "want", but what will bring me to be more like Him.
Jesus taught the disciples to ask God to forgive their trespasses as they forgive others. That is profound. How do we forgive those who have done us wrong? Hold a grudge? Refuse to speak to them? Turn our backs? If we honestly pray for God to forgive us, then we best be willing to forgive others.
God's unconditional love forgives me. Do I deserve forgiveness? No, but for the grace of God I would be lost. Do those who have hurt me deserve to be forgiven? Probably not, but if God can forgive me, why should I not forgive others.
There is is freedom in forgiveness. When you forgive others (even if they don't ask for it), then you free to work in them and you.
God is ever Good and faithful
God bless you
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