Category: Daily Prayer

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
Luke 11:5-8

Jesus tells us this story, which may be a little difficult for our modern understanding. Who knocks on their neighbor’s door at midnight to borrow bread for a guest? This short parable, coming right after The Lord’s Prayer, seems out of place, but as always, Jesus has a lesson for us.

This is intended to show us that it is not wrong to ask for things, especially when our request is for others, as in this story. The person makes the request honestly, not asking for more than needed, and is persistent in his efforts until successful. Jesus says this honesty and persistence is needed in our faith and our prayers.

When we come honestly to God in prayer, we can expect our relationship to grow as we hear His Word. God doesn’t always answer immediately nor grant every request we make – God is God and we are not. However, by being persistent in our prayers, we grow closer to God and His plan for our lives. Spend time in prayer today, asking for what you need and feeling the love spending time with God brings.

Loving Lord, we pray for our wants and needs, for ourselves, our friends, our world. Help us to hear Your answer, the guidance we need every day, and go into the world to do Your will. Amen.

He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'”
Luke 11:2-4

Jesus taught His disciples this prayer as an example, one they could pray themselves, and to teach them what prayer was about. The main lesson isn’t so much what we say or how we say it, but that we connect with God to share. It’s all about relating to Him on a regular basis.

Jesus taught us that praying together in worship was important, and private prayer as well. He said that we are able to ask God for what we need – our daily bread and forgiveness for sins. God is ready to listen and respond whenever we come to Him in prayer, already knowing what we will ask, but making us part of the process through prayer.

Is prayer a regular part of your daily life? If not, this simple but profound prayer can be a starting point. Go to God with the things that burden you and leave them with Him through prayer.

Heavenly Father, sometimes we don’t know how or where to begin with our prayers. Help us to understand there’s no wrong way or wrong time to pray. Amen.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1

In just this single verse we hear several things – prayer was important to Jesus, and His disciples wanted instruction on prayer. There are many examples in scripture of Jesus praying. He was in prayer in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him (Luke 22:41-42), and He prayed for us even as He was crucified (Luke 23:34).

Jesus knew the power of prayer and gave His disciples the instruction they needed. As we explore the whole scripture passage for this week (Luke 11:1-13), we will learn as they did from His example and teaching. Prayer is simple and difficult at the same time.

Many people seem intimidated by prayer and often decline when asked to pray in public. Jesus understands our reluctance, but He wants us to be connected to God through prayer as He was. God wants us to bring everything to Him, our wants and needs, our joys and fears.

Heavenly Father, help us to know Your love through our prayers. Teach us the peace that comes through conversation with You, and let us practice it regularly. Amen.

In our scripture for this week (Luke 10:38-42), Jesus has been teaching us about clarity, priority and urgency. He is visiting the home of friends, and the usual human activity goes on. Martha scurries around worrying about dinner preparation while Mary sits at Jesus feet, listening to His teaching.

Both have made a choice about their activity, as we are called to do each day. Mary is clear about her choice to listen to Jesus. Martha, because she is worried and distracted, is not clear in her thinking. We must ensure we base our actions on God’s Word and not on human things.

There are many things that compete for our attention. We have to prioritize our actions, giving time to those that are most important. Jesus told Martha that our busy lives can interfere with putting time with God first as we should.

Jesus doesn’t say so specifically, but it should be clear that there is urgency in His lesson. He teaches that the kingdom of God is at hand and it is up to us to be ready and share the Good News with everyone. He calls us to leave our earthly worries and distractions to be part of the heavenly work.

Gracious God, we are humbled and blessed to be called to serve You and each other. Help us to be intentional, that we may choose the better part, hearing Your word and taking it out to all people. Amen.

In the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), Jesus teaches us the difference between doing what we think is important and doing what God tells us is important. Martha is worried about human things, concerned with serving Jesus as her guest. This was very important in that time and culture, and Jesus spoke often of serving others.

However, Jesus teaches us that there are things of higher value – hearing God’s Word and having a relationship with Him. Jesus wants us to know we are not valued for our doing, God loves us because He made us in His own image. Serving others is a response to this connection, a reaction of love, not initiated by us. “Doing” can never lead us to salvation on our own, only the Grace of God saves us.

The tasks we immerse ourselves in daily are not who we are. God knows us at the deepest level, saying “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5), indicating the special and eternal relationship we share. Celebrate that blessed connection every day, first with Him and then by sharing His love with others.

Loving Lord, we are humbled and grateful to be called Your children. Help us to be good members of Your family, reaching out to all our brothers and sisters. Let Your love shine through us and may Your mercy and peace spread across the earth. Amen.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42

The story of Martha and Mary is a short one but there is a big lesson to be learned from it. The main point comes when Martha asks Jesus to send Mary to help her, and Jesus gently says no, then explains His meaning. Do we understand as well?

Jesus doesn’t tell Martha what she is doing is wrong, but that what Mary is doing is more valuable. In essence, Jesus tells us “don’t worry if supper is late, sit and listen to the Good News first”. He warns about getting so wrapped up in our world that we miss the world to come.

Do we see ourselves in the two sisters? Are we distracted by many tasks? Take time to listen for the lessons of love you are given every day. Hear God’s voice and His message for you and then go do the other important things. Your tasks will be waiting but you will be strengthened to accomplish them and share God’s love.

Gracious God, we know that we have things to do today. Help us to choose the better part first, time with you and Your Word, that we may go into the world refreshed by Your love. Amen.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42

Martha was concerned that her sister hadn’t helped her get things ready. Her request to Jesus wasn’t ignored, but He gently redirects her attention to what is going on in her home. While she has been busy with preparing the meal and setting the table, Mary has been attending to His teaching.

Jesus says that the human things we do “worry and distract” us, keeping us from hearing His message of love first. He tells Martha that what Mary is doing is very important and “it will not be taken away from her”, that our relationship with God is essential and eternal. Jesus says that in the midst of all we do on a daily basis, making time for God is the better part of any activity.

We all need time to intentionally connect with God every day. Sometimes it seems hard to do that, with all the other appointments and commitments for which we are responsible. Try writing “Prayer” on your day planner, phone app or refrigerator calendar and schedule yourself for time with God today and always. It will make a difference that will not be taken away from you.

Loving Lord, our lives get full of activities and obligations. Help us to see the importance of prayer and study to all we do, and to make time to be together with You every day. Amen.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”
Luke 10:40

We are always concerned about taking care of company when they visit. There’s lots to do – getting things ready, food prepared, enough chairs at the table. Martha is the sister who is handling these details and she is unhappy that Mary, just sitting and listening to Jesus, isn’t offering any help. Who wouldn’t feel frazzled, doing all the work while the other sits?

Martha asks Jesus for fairness, that her sister take some responsibility for what needs to be done. This isn’t an unreasonable request, we are called to help each other. However, Jesus has another lesson in mind, that of priorities, deciding what is most important now, and as we shall learn, that involves a different view of fairness.

Jesus calls us from our busyness, the hurried and pressured world we find ourselves part of, often by our own design. As we shall learn, Jesus wants us to ask “what is the most important thing I should be doing out of the many clamoring for my attention?” Jesus wants our attention so we can be fully aware of the lessons He has for us. We need to be careful that “fair” doesn’t overshadow “essential”.

Gracious God, show us what is important to You and help us focus our efforts to be part of that work. Keep us from becoming so busy we fail to see the essential needs in our world. Amen.

She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.
Luke 10:39

Mary, Martha and Lazarus welcomed Jesus into their home. At that time, there was little other means of communication but word of mouth, so visitors who might bring news of the day and stories of far away places were seen as a gift. Maybe they would hear what was happening in Jerusalem or learn of the issues from Rome. While Jesus has things to share with them, it is different than they have heard before.

Jesus tells them of God’s love and the need to love each other in the same way. We don’t know exactly what He told them, but it is recorded that Mary sat and His feet and listened. This family became close friends of Jesus, and faithful followers.

Like Mary, we need to pay attention to the lessons Jesus gives us. We are often absorbed by the stories occurring in our world – strife and struggle, conflict and cares. Jesus tells us to pause and listen to the Word of God, to let His peace fill our thoughts and lives, that we may take that love to a world in need.

Gracious God, slow us down. Help us take time to listen and learn, and to share Your peace with everyone. May Your love spread over all the earth. Amen.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
Luke 10:38

In the scripture for this week, Luke 10:38-42, Jesus stops in a village and is welcomed into Martha’s home. Jesus became good friends with her, as well as her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus. While there were inns in some cities, most travelers depended on the kindness of people in the villages for a place to spend the night. This hospitality had long been part of their culture, stretching back to Abraham welcoming the desert travelers (Genesis 18:1-8).

We don’t often encounter travelers looking for a night’s shelter unannounced in our society. We have become so fast paced and closed off from each other that hospitality of this kind is unknown to most of us. Taking a stranger into your home involves risk, for both of you.

While Jesus may not ask us to have unknown people stay in our home (but He might!), we are called to be welcoming in our community. This too involves risk, perhaps not to our personal safety, but it certainly could involve our commitment and our resources to help provide for others. How is Jesus asking you to share hospitality today and how will you respond?

Loving Lord, we are often slow to welcome those new to us and cautious in our hospitality. Help us to open our hearts in faith, sharing the love You first gave us with those we meet. Amen.