A new week often brings new opportunities and challenges. As you begin to plan, consider, and reflect on what is ahead, let me provide you two great priorities to consider as you pray about your new week.
The Model Prayer
As Jesus prayed, the disciples asked if He would teach them how to pray. Luke records His answer to them
2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.” (Luke 11:2-4)
Notice how after He addresses God as Our Father, He makes two important requests. He basically says, “May your name be honored / set apart / hallowed,” and “May your kingdom come and your will be done.”
These two requests provide for us our two priorities as we think and consider our week.
What are Your Priorities?
May Your Name Be Honored
This priority reflects the character and majesty of God. Jesus directs us to desire God’s name to be honored in a way that is reflective of His character. God is holy, loving, faithful, merciful, compassionate, and sovereign, among many other things. We desire to both recognize that in everything that we do and live according to His character. This helps us get our minds on God and Who He is. Our vertical look upwards toward God helps us as we plan to live life in honor of Him.
May Your Kingdom Come
This priority reflects the rule and reign of God as well as His sovereignty. We want to look out at the circumstances and situations in our lives as part of the providential care and under the sovereign care of God. We pray for His will and not our own. As His followers, we live in light of His control and desire what He wants. Without any doubt, this helps us get a handle in our minds on the craziness in the world around us. We for sure possess desires and actively pursue goals; however, we pray for God’s will to be done as part of His sovereign control.
Therefore, as we take on a new day and week, let’s choose to make our priorities the two priorities of Jesus in the model prayer He left for us.
Image Credit Jake Givens
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