Prayer Masterclass - Living To Do What Matters

 PRAYER MASTERCLASS

Today we continue to look at the very personal words of Jesus as He prayed to His Heavenly Father not long before He suffered and died on our behalf. 

We know Jesus one longing above all others was to live in a way that would please His Father and give honour to Him.

Jesus prayed:

I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

John 17:6

Loving God, as Jesus did the work You gave Him to do and could say that He’d done that, would You help us today to faithfully carry out the simple things that You give us to do today:  to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you. 

Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

John 17:7-8

It’s so true that we have nothing that is worthwhile outside of what You have given us, God.  Thank You for Jesus who has done everything necessary for us to know You and know Your will for our lives today. 

You told us more than once that the work that matters today is what helps us believe in who You are and what Jesus has done for us.  That seems strange given the responsibilities we have but we know that when we focus first with You and on Your care for us that all the other pressures and needs come into better focus and we live less pressured and with more serenity.

I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

John 17:9-10

We look around us to our families and the wider community and the needs and the complications seem pretty overwhelming so it’s great news that You are already in the know, already praying for us for the things that we need and organizing things so we can complete the good and satisfying agenda that You have for us today.

It’s also pretty amazing that not only are You praying for us but You are praying through us.  We find such comfort in knowing that we don’t even have to know what we need to pray for but if we will open our hearts to You, trusting that You are listening, that You are good, that You are willing and able to work on our behalf, that You will search our hearts and pray just the right prayer that lines up with Your will for this day.

So one more time on one more day, here we are before You, confident that You hear us and will answer us because You love us.  All through this day we’re going to talk to You about what’s going on and invite You to show us what we should do and what we should leave with You.  Fill us with peace and confidence as we walk together in this day.  Amen

Well, such touching and encouraging words, aren’t they?  We’ll look at a few more sentences tomorrow.