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This week, we’re in Practice #3: Grow in Prayer. Today, let’s spend ten minutes in the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11:1-4 from the New English Translation:

11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation.’”

Sunday’s sermon reminded us of the things we can absolutely expect from God if and when we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Let’s focus on two of them:

5. I can expect...provision.

For most of the people who have ever lived, gathering food and water has been a daily task. Each morning is a fresh day to look for sustenance. In the first century world, Jesus would have been speaking with Jewish men and women who understood this reality deep in their bones. They were focused on surviving today. 

What would it look like for you to think only about today, having a firm trust that God would provide all that you need? Spend some time talking with God about it. 

6. I can expect...grace and forgiveness.

Besides daily physical provision, each of us has a need for daily spiritual provision. John 1:5-10 (NET) reveals this:

5 Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

Because of our fleshly nature, we still bear the guilt of sin. Yes, Jesus has taken away its ultimate penalty (death). But the hardness and alienation it causes between us and God is very real. This is why we are invited to repent daily, confessing what we’ve done, and being cleansed from it. This opens the channel to intimate communion with our triune God. 

Do you make confession a regular part of your daily life? Why or why not? Spend some time talking with God about it.

The Christian act of confession is not only a releasing of sin. It is also a receiving of fresh forgiveness and grace. What a gift! Each day, you can know that God is eager to provide spiritual provision. Spend some time asking God for his forgiveness and grace to sustain you today.

Now, let’s pray the Lord’s prayer one more time with FAITH and EXPECTANCY:

11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation.’”