Missed my blog for Sunday. Been experiencing some problems getting online. This actually posted around 2:00 AM Tuesday morning, but I haven't been to bed yet and it's my Monday devotional and blog. Anyway, often when I am journaling I write as if the Lord and I are having a discussing. He tells me what He wants me to hear in His Word, and in my heart, then I respond to Him. That's the context in which the following is exerted from my journal today....
Matthew 6
"When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words."
Lord, some people go on and on in their prayers. They could be asked to bless the food, pray for a sick person, dedicate the offerings, or dismiss a service, but they'll only get to the point after they've prayed for a dozen other things that they pray for every single time they pray.
An example, Lord, goes something like this:
"Please pray for our food."
"Dear Father, thank you for this day, forgive our many sins, thank you for our many blessings...and bless our food. Amen."
Now there's nothing wrong with thanking You, Lord, for the day, our blessings, and for forgiving our sins, but the request was to bless the food. Lord, I always offer my public prayeres like lasers -- short, specific and to the heart of the matter. Sincerity, not longevity, seems to be Your desire. Right?
"Darril, that's right, but the opposite of long babbling prayers is just as offensive to Me: prayers that short but are insincere, and disrespectful. Prayers that fail to acknowledge the great wonder of the One you're talking to. Go ahead and pray short public prayers, my son, but take them to heart and don't make light of addressing Me. Teach disciples the proper respect for entering my presence." \O/
So my thought for you to consider today is this:
If you are not spending enough time in private devotions thanking God for everything and seeking forgiveness, don't use the public forum to catch up on your quiet time.
Matthew 6
"When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words."
Lord, some people go on and on in their prayers. They could be asked to bless the food, pray for a sick person, dedicate the offerings, or dismiss a service, but they'll only get to the point after they've prayed for a dozen other things that they pray for every single time they pray.
An example, Lord, goes something like this:
"Please pray for our food."
"Dear Father, thank you for this day, forgive our many sins, thank you for our many blessings...and bless our food. Amen."
Now there's nothing wrong with thanking You, Lord, for the day, our blessings, and for forgiving our sins, but the request was to bless the food. Lord, I always offer my public prayeres like lasers -- short, specific and to the heart of the matter. Sincerity, not longevity, seems to be Your desire. Right?
"Darril, that's right, but the opposite of long babbling prayers is just as offensive to Me: prayers that short but are insincere, and disrespectful. Prayers that fail to acknowledge the great wonder of the One you're talking to. Go ahead and pray short public prayers, my son, but take them to heart and don't make light of addressing Me. Teach disciples the proper respect for entering my presence." \O/
So my thought for you to consider today is this:
If you are not spending enough time in private devotions thanking God for everything and seeking forgiveness, don't use the public forum to catch up on your quiet time.
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