Prayer and God with Us

This week it was a bit wet.

The youth jumped into 3 groups.

In teams, they memorised the Lord's Prayer and made up their own actions for each line.

It was great to see each team at least give it a go. I wonder how adults will go with the same activity.

In smaller groups, we went through a few questions. 

In our group, we stayed in Matthew 6.

1. Why did Jesus teach them the Lord's Prayer?
2. (Who is them, anyway?) 
3. Where and how do we pray? And why is it harder to pray out loud?
4. How did he guide us on how NOT to pray?
5. Why is praying every day like changing your underwear or eating food?

I told them about Brother Lawrence, the monk who invited God to wash dishes with him.

Parents and friends, we can pray this for them:

1. They grow fond of the person they are praying to
2. They remember to pray when they eat (or change their undies - at least daily)
3. The youth remember to carry the Bible with them to church on Sundays

I believe these three little practices go a long way.

Why? One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means God with us. 

Imagine having the King of the Universe with you, every moment of every day!

Matthew 6:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babblinglike pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’