We’ve just completed the middle portion of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 6), which compellingly portrays the central life of one who lives squarely in relationship with God – who is Himself the “blessing” and the “reward” that Jesus speaks of.
At the very center of this middle piece of Jesus’ great Sermon we find the chief activity of the people of God: Prayer (v9-18). If the blessing and reward of the Kingdom is God Himself, then there can be no activity that can replace prayer as the chief duty and delight of Kingdom people, for prayer is where we join with God through a conversation of the heart.
The exercise today is to journal a prayer, using the Lord’s prayer as an outline. This is likely how Jesus intended his prayer to be used; as a guideline for our intimate conversations with God. All human concerns are found in this prayer:
Write out a prayer, almost like a diary entry, using these points as an outline. You’ll need at least 20-30 minutes to do this. You can type it out on your computer, use a handwritten journal, or turn it into a song. Whatever you do, make it personal and don’t forget to listen for God’s response being impressed upon your thoughts and feelings.