Recently I felt challenged by the Lord to start praying the Lord's prayer, thoughtfully, meditatively. I read in Willard's book that he had done the same and found it very powerful. I know this might sound nutty, but I can feel the power of it, when I am quiet in my spirit and praying from the heart. I just spend some time being still before the Lord and ask Him to search my heart, and there comes a point where my mind clears and I know I am in His presence, and I pray each line slowly and consider its meaning. Sometimes I elaborate on it a bit. its helped a LOT reading Willard's book, because he presents such a marvelous, deep picture of the gospel and God's kingdom. Its brought new meaning to the old prayer.
So today I was praying and could hardly even start the prayer because I was so tired (yet again, or still). And I had to stop and just tell the Lord, "I can't even pray I am so tired, and there is so much to to do today and I don't know how to do it." And then He answered my heart...I knew Him as a God of rest and not a slave driver. And knowing Him in that way made my daily duties so clear. Some things I did not need to do; I had taken the chores and pressure on myself. When I got to the part of the Lord's prayer that says "Give us this day our daily bread." I told God that I needed some diapers for Ellie. I planned to go to Target and get them, but when the window of time came (when both kids were awake) I felt the Spirit leading me not to go. I only had one diaper left! But I figured He would provide somehow. So we ate lunch and took naps. later in the day I mentioned to my neighbor I needed to go to Target for diapers and she offered me a whole bunch of leftover size 3's her son had grown out of. Prayer answered! Then I was trying to get the energy and inspiration to do dinner but just didn't have it in me, and I prayed. Lord, I need some dinner. I opened the fridge and there was a big container of lasagna I had forgotten about.
I know maybe the answers seem coincidental or lame, but I knew then and now that they were the answers, and I am so joyful and thankful that He answers prayers so clearly. And it shows me that if He is so clearly answering that part about the daily bread, then I can be sure He is also answering the rest of the prayer as well...
Your kingdom come, Your will be done!
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1 year ago
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What a coincidence... I too have recently been feeling led to pray The Lord's Prayer with a fresh thought process... I say it to Ella every night before bed and it occured to me how it rolls off my tongue without the appropriate consideration of the words.
When I started to really consider it in a renewed way, something occured to me for the first time. I always said it like this:
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done;
PAUSE
On Earth as it is in heaven...
and it occured to me that the pause in my reciting is in the wrong place! All this time!
So now I have been saying:
Thy kingdome come;
PAUSE
Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven.
By intentionally changing my habit to pause in a different area, it allows me to meditate on what I am saying and not cycle into my lifelong habit of not always saying the prayer with its full and powerful meaning!
I am so glad that you experienced God's providence in your life today in such a real and tangible way!
I love you!
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