Mon.’s Devo - How to Pray

Read: Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26; Luke 10:38-11:13; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 12:15-17 When they were settled in their land, they were to bring the first fruits of their harvest to the Lord to the place of worship they had designated. They were to give their basket to the priest and declare their statement to God. In their statement they were to remind God how He brought Jacob as a wandering Aramean to Egypt. His family was small then but became a large and mighty nation. They were slaves in Egypt and oppressed with hardship and work, but God brought them out of Egypt with his powerful hand. With signs and wonders God gave them this land full of milk and honey. Then they were to give the Lord their offering and enter into the celebration of praise and thanksgiving for the provision God had given them. Every third year they were to give a special tithe of their crops to the Levites, foreigners, orphans and widows to provide for them. They were to declare their innocence and the innocence of their offering and ask for God’s continued blessing. That day, they renewed their covenant to obey the Lord and his commands. Moses and the leaders of Israel to set up an altar of stones coated with plaster and wrote on them this whole body of instructions so that they would have them to read. The stones with the curses whould be set up on Mt. Ebal and the stones with the blessing would be set up at Mt. Gerizim. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Nephtali were to stand on Mt. Ebal and read the curses. The curses they were to read are given us here. When they finished reading each curse, the people were to say “Amen” in agreement. In Luke, Martha complained to Jesus that Mary wasn’t helping her with serving but was more interested in sitting at Jesus feet and listening to his every word. Jesus told Martha that she was so worried about the details when there was only one thing worth concern and Mary had discovered it. How many times do I find myself worried about how God was going to do something instead of just enjoying his presence. The answer always lies in his presence not in worrying and doing. The disciples asked Jesus how they should pray. First they were to acknowledge who God was and what his will was which was to bring his kingdom to earth. Then they were to ask for what they needed for that day. They were to ask to be forgiven in the same way they forgave and to pray for the power to resist temptation. Jesus gave them a parable to show them how to pray for others. For others, you are to be like the man who needed more for his guests. Then you go to God and you ask until it comes. God is the good Father who wants to give us good things and will never withheld his Spirit from us if we ask. Lord, thank you for your instructions that guide us through life. Thank you for your Spirit that is your everlasting presence.