Praying With Jesus

 On Sundays we usually take the opportunity to pray with others around the world.  Today I was drawn to have us pray with Jesus. 

Jesus is praying for us already.  We know that from what we are told in the Bible.

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Romans 8:34

He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Hebrews 7:25

When Jesus’ friends saw Jesus stepping aside so often to pray, they asked Him to teach them how to pray and so we have recorded for us what Jesus taught them.  Let’s pray the traditional words of that prayer now.

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.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom and the power

And the glory, forever. Amen.

While that is probably the most famous of Jesus’ prayers, the Bible has many more.  Let’s pray with Jesus today:

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”  John 11:41-42

What a great place to begin with You, Loving God, to affirm along with Jesus that we are grateful that you hear us; You always hear us.  We pray to have our confidence in that increased particularly during those times when the way and the time in which You answer is very different from what we want or expect and we don’t immediately recognize it.

Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.  Matthew 11:25-26

Lord we are grateful that You show us what we need to know about You, about ourselves, about life, about Your plans and purposes.  Help us to remain open and humble so You can reveal even more as we go forward.  We want to please You by being good learners. 

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” John 12:27-28

Well, we are not without things that trouble our souls, Lord, and that’s not just the complications that this pandemic has brought to our society and our personal lives.  We live in a broken and sinful world in dark and troubled times and we’d love to be saved from it all.  We know that we won’t, that in this world we will have troubles but we also know that You have overcome the world.  So, Lord, even though our hearts tremble a bit to say it, as we face this hour in our world, “Father, glorify your name in our lives, whatever that looks like.”

“Father forgive them; for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34

“My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit” Luke 23:46

These are the most challenging prayers of all, Lord.  To offer forgiveness while the hatred and scorn is still spewing from peoples mouths and actions towards us.  Oh Lord, work Your forgiveness in us and through us.  Help us to know the great good of being those who forgive and to bless those who harm because they truly do not know the depth of the harm they operate in.

When we feel abandoned and don’t understand what is going on, we pray to just be real and honest with You so You can meet us where we are and reveal Yourself to us.  As Jesus called out on the basis of the relationship with You He knew was alive – You His loving Father – so we call out to You on that basis no matter what we think or feel.  Jesus endured being cut off from You so that we never would have to. 

And then we commit ourselves into Your care, our bodies, our souls, and our spirits; our past, our present, and our future.  All that we are.  All that we hope to be, we surrender to You. 

If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  Romans 14:8