HE Was Onto Something

The current sermon series at my church is called, "When You Pray" and it is - obviously - on prayer.
Specifically, we're going through the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.
This past Sunday we looked at verse 10, which instructs us to pray for God's kingdom to come and for His will to be done. And, the question which had to rise from that sermon was, How often do I pray for my kingdom and my will to be done, rather than praying for HIS???

Mmmmm. Conviction, anyone?

So, our small group had our work cut out for us when we got together Sunday evening to discuss and digest the day's message. That is, processing through the invitation to discover how we can move from focusing on our desires to truly embracing God's will.
And the most beautiful thing happened.
God opened our eyes.
To Truth which has been there all the time.
That is, when we pray - if we want to align our heart with our Father's - we need to pray like Jesus taught us to pray. Beginning with acknowledgement that God is our Abba - our loving Father who knows what is best, and with praise - Hallowed be Your Name!
Because, let's think about this logically for just a minute. If we enter into a time of prayer understanding that God is a good Father, who has good plans and unfailing love for us; if we spend time praising Him for who He is - for His wisdom and power and holiness and sovereignty and might and grace and mercy and love and trustworthiness - if we do all that before we say another word, which one of us in our right mind is then going to pray, "Now, can we do things MY way???"

Do you see it?
Jesus knew what HE was doing when HE taught His disciples to pray.
HE knows our propensity to want control, to want to know what's coming and what to expect, to want our own way because we think we know what's best. And I believe Jesus was on a mission when HE taught His disciples to pray.
That is, I believe HE knew we need to prepare our hearts to surrender to our Father's heart. We need to know to Whom it is that we are praying. Because when we do - we will be ready to seek His kingdom, to trust Him for our needs, to confess our sin, to rely on Him to protect us.
When we know that our good, good heavenly Father - who is holy and righteous and everlasting and Almighty GOD - is on His throne desiring to bring His kingdom and His will upon us, oh! How can we but earnestly seek it?

And so, my friend, may I encourage you in this? When you pray, will you come to God by first confessing and adoring who HE IS? Will you declare His praises and profess your faith in Him?
Because I really believe Jesus was onto something when HE taught His disciples to pray. And if you follow His lead, I believe HE will lead you into faithful, powerful prayer.