By David Burdick
Those of you that know my testimony, know that in my youth, I dreamed of spending 40 days on a mountain-top, speaking with God, like Moses. The mountain of choice was called, “Old Baldy, a clearing at the top of a foot-hill, on my aunt’s farm in Southern, New York. Never fully making the effort, my time on the mountain never materialized. I did however often think about my desire to spend time with God, a need to get to know Him. I asked myself, what had I missed by not setting aside 40 days for meditation and prayer? I was thinking of this when I set my mind to pray for the 5-hour duration of my weekly commute from my job in Pennsylvania to my home in New York. I intended to pray, rather than listening to the radio, as I normally did.
Just a few minutes into my prayer, I realized that I had no idea how to talk with God for 5 hours, let alone 40 days. I thought of the Lord’s prayer that Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13. I forgot the warning that Jesus also gave us in Matthew 6:7, “When ye pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for the sheer number of words used in their pleas.” I conceded to recite the Lord’s prayer for the remainder of my drive back to New York.
I don’t know what I was seeking in my prayers, perhaps only that God would make himself known to me, to somehow acknowledge that I was there. God’s response to my prayers is a topic for a different sermon on a different day. The reason I shared this story with you today is to demonstrate how easy it is for us to fall back into the use of repetitive prayer when we speak to God. The “Our Father” was given to us as an example of how we should pray, not something that we should recite over and over until the words have no meaning.
If we examine the, “Our Father,” we see that when we speak to God, we should also glorify and exalt Him in our prayer. Not only should we talk to God like an old family patriarch and sage friend that not knows everything, but respectfully, like our king that holds our lives in His hands. We should both fear and love our God. Once we’ve learned to master that, we can begin to form a righteous prayer of Godly intent.
A prayer of Godly intent may come in many forms, everything from the anguished moans of a grieving mother that only an angel can understand to the poetic words of a Christ follower that loves God. Just such a poet once wrote,
“Christ, you are the child of virgin birth, the one who came to save the earth. No greater star has cast a brighter light than the one that shown on you that Holy Night. Beloved Son, we fall on our knees to know that in You, Almighty God is pleased.
By Your birth the world is blessed, and in your hands all hope now rests. By Your Word, the dumb did talk and in your steps, the lame do walk. Hallowed lamb, we fall at your feet to know You bring death’s defeat.
As the prophets of God had sworn, by Your birth, Our Savior is born. Holy child of heaven, by Your gift, man’s sins are forgiven. Since Your birth, the angels sing; Rejoice! Let the vespers ring! Holy is our God; true is His Word; pure is His Son; righteous is the Lord. Selfless King, we fall on our face to know You came to take our place.”
I glorify You, my God!
Church, I ask that you try something different with me this morning. Please close your eyes and imagine how you might humbly speak to God, what you might want to discuss. Please, do this as I talk to God and you listen-in. Please bow your heads, close your eyes, and listen-in.
Thank you, Holy Father in Heaven, God who is with me always. Thank you for all that you have done, all that you currently do, and all that you will do. Your grace is abundant. All glory and honor are yours, my God, my Lord, Your Spirit. I am Your portion and You are my prize.
Holy Spirit of God, I am filled with your grace. You touch my soul. My vessel longs for the voice of my Father that you bring me. Your presence opens my heart and brings to me joy. Thank you, Jesus, thank you, God for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for each time I am full to overflowing with your presence, when my heart breaks into worship, I hum a gospel hymn and find myself singing a song of Godly praise. Thank you for giving me the humility to recognize and accept correction when I am mistaken. Thank you for giving me the courage and wisdom to correct the use of bad doctrine.
My God, where do I begin? I see your beauty everywhere I turn. All creation bows before you. Oh, mighty and powerful God who art with me always, my right arm and my strength, so easy is it for us to give you thanks as we join together here in your presence, here in your worship and praise. Though we may be sucked down to the depths of sorrow and despair and absent all love but yours, let us never falter in the worship and praise of our mighty God. Though we stumble and fall, You pick us up and place our feet on firm ground. You shelter us from the falling rain. You give us the blood of forgiveness, your body, our daily bread, even our next breath. Our faith is founded in answered prayer and the truth of your Word.
I thank you my God, my Father, for every answered prayer, every intercession, every correction, every covenant and every promise you’ve made. Your Word that spoke us into being will never be broken. You give us hope. You give us purpose.
We cannot begin to know the love of the One who sent His Son to pay our ransom. Neither can we repay the debt for which my Lord gave His Life. I am not worthy of Your grace. Say but a word and my soul shall be healed.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). I pray my God, my Lord, Your Holy Spirit, guide me in the ways of good men and steer me in paths of righteousness (Proverbs 2:20).
My Lord, Jesus, beloved Son of the Father, you are the fulfillment of scripture, the proof of the Word, the Prince of Heaven. You are the everlasting covenant. You are the Lamb of God and the path of righteousness. I pray sweet Lord, grant me a distant glimpse of your robe at a further turn or dip in the path that I may know I follow the Lord.
But for You my Lord, God would not hear our prayers, nor see our tears. But for You my Lord, we would be condemned by the Law of Moses. You bring us to the garden, to the tree of eternal life. Thank you, Jesus, for letting us know you while we still live.
Hear our prayer, my God, my Lord, Your Spirit. We are joined together in unity and prayer, in the name of Jesus. Hear our prayer. Cleanse our hearts and forgive us our shortcomings. Unify us as a church my Lord. Above all else, grant Spiritual health to each member of this church. Grant hope and physical health to the families of the church. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
Our entire sermon today was a prayer to God, so let us end with another poem that glorifies our Father. It is titled, “Morning Devotion:”
At Your Word, tried and proven, holy are you, Father in heaven.
Deserving of all love and praise, my hands to you on high I raise.
Unworthy and without merit, in union with the Holy Spirit
And in the name of sweet Jesus, I pray You never leave us.
Through charity and reparations, may I glorify You in my actions.
I pray Your will be known to me and I do what You wish of me.
Walk with me on this journey, be my witness and testimony.
My Lord, be my strength again; help me avoid intentional sin.
Allow me to love my neighbors, and please forgive my debtors.
Thank You for mercies and care; thank you for hearing my prayer.
Deserving of all love and praise, my hands to you on high I raise.
Holy are You, Father in heaven, again and again, forever, amen.
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