tonight a group that meets weekly in my home for discussion (bible study, book study, etc) had dinner together... unique blend of samosa, chicken cordon blue, pasta, appetizers, coos coos, fruit and dessert. It was also unique b/c we took a break from our book study, and mainly chatted, but then ended with a 30 min. discussion based on the Lord's Prayer. I really enjoyed the questions and discussion. Things like:
... this line should really be understood in context of the whole prayer
... this prayer helps me not focus on my own needs
... I really needed to hear that God is my Father
... how can I ask God for forgiveness, not sure if I'm ready yet
... lead us not into temptation is something I always packed away, b/c I didn't get it or couldn't swallow it (we discovered that the root word translated temptation is more like testing; someone with an NRSV confirmed it with using the word trials)
Ended with asking this about the "lead us not" part: how can we pray more preventive instead of corrective?
How often do we ask God to help us fix a problem? What if we started asking God to help us become the kind of person where some problems might be prevented. Of course, stuff always happens - and Jesus assures us this will be true by teaching us to pray for forgiveness - but what if we started praying about the situations that lead us to lust, get angry, lie,... and the actions that go with it.
Imagine that when we start praying to become better fathers, husbands, wives, friends, co-workers, employees... perhaps people of courage, strength, honesty, integrity, perseverance... imagine that our prayers start implicating us in actually becoming those kind of people with God's help.
Maybe we might find ourselves praying less corrective prayers (not never, but less), b/c we're becoming the kind of people that are shaped by God's kingdom, values, and rule.
What would some preventative prayers be for you?
I'm glad our group helped me process this tonight. I'm better for it.
p.s. we had a person who's visited our larger gathering a couple of times join us for dinner... what a great way to start connecting with a community, over dinner... plus she brought an amazing dish and dessert!!
1 comment:
Wow Dave, wish I could have been there!!! Your comment on praying a more preventative prayer got me thinking as well. We so often just (easily) ask for forgiveness for walking down a road that lead us to "places" we wish we hadn't gone RATHER than asking Him to "lead us not" first. (God help us!!) You know just this week I was prompted to read the Lord's Prayer again because someone mentioned that they were being "taught" to pray and I thought I only know ONE who left us with instructions on "how to" pray and who better than him. (by the way .... what do you think about "prayer lessons"?)
Thanks for writing this today. God used you to confirm a few things to me. He's so good!! Miss you!!
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