WEEK OF PRAYER
DAY 1
January 2, 2023
Matthew 6:9
This, then is how you should pray. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
Who better to teach us how to pray than Jesus himself? In Matthew 6, He gives us the gift of a road map to guide us in times of prayer. As Jesus teaches us, we are first and foremost to focus our minds on who we’re praying to.
We address our prayers to our Father in Heaven. God is not just any Father, but is a good Father who loves, protects and provides for all His children. So, we can lean into prayer with complete trust in the caring, comfort and character of our God.
Jesus continues by saying, “Hallowed by your name” or “Holy is your name.”
The order is noteworthy. At the beginning of prayer we are instructed to have a posture of worship towards our Father in Heaven. The one to whom we are praying has a name that is holy and is exalted. Our God is high and lifted up, set apart from any other being.
Psalm 29:2 instructs us to “Ascribe to the Lord glory due his name, worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.”
We come before God inane and humility, with great expectations and hope.
Psalm 52:9 “ I will praise you forevermore what you have done, in your name I will hope, for your name is good.
PRAY:
As you pray today, start by acknowledging God as your Heavenly Father. Declare that He is a good Father who loves you unconditionally and is with you in your circumstances today.
Now spend a few moments acknowledging God for His holiness. Praise Him for His attributes (e.g., He is worthy, all powerful, forgiving, Saviour, healer)
Call on the all powerful name of Jesus to help you with issues that are heavy on your heart. Freely share your concerns with Him.