Monday, October 1
Theme for the week:
Disciples Connect with God Through Prayers Not Measured by Wordiness

Matthew 6:7-8

When you pray, do not keep on babbling like 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.
~ Jesus

Last week we looked at being wary of a prayer life that seeks to impress men.

This week the thought is to avoid a prayer life that tries to impress God – with extensive religious language or length in prayer. Once again let’s avoid a common misapplication of what Jesus is saying. When Jesus calls out wordiness – or babbling – he does not denounce all “wordy” or long-winded prayers. Jesus was known to pray all night occasionally. Don’t mistake short for better, though people prefer this case!

It’s not the length of the prayer or the amount or size of the words, but the content and the heart behind it. Empty and vain repetition is to be avoided. In fact, words themselves aren’t even necessary as we will see tomorrow.

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Prayer Prompt

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for the reminder that the hearing of my prayer is a matter of a right heart and not a matter of right words. In fact, sometimes I can’t seem to find words. But I know that you understand and for that I am grateful. I pray in your name, amen.

Micro-Meditation

Psalm 139:1-6

  1. You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
  2. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
  3. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
  4. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
  5. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
  6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

  • Read: the verses twice.

  • Mark: the words or phrases that catch your attention.

  • Meditate: talk (better yet write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect a response from the Lord.

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Pondering Point

The Lord God knows you better than you know yourself. Who better to shape you and to teach you about the depths of your personhood and relation to Him?

Tuesday, October 2
God’s Mission

Romans 8:27

He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
~ Apostle Paul

Far from being far away from us, our heavenly Father is near to our hearts and we are dear to His heart. And He who searches our hearts, as the Apostle Paul writes it, knows the mind of the Spirit. That's a good thing because what's on the mind of the Holy Spirit is God's people. It is the Spirit of God, with the people of God on his mind, who is interceding in accordance with the will of God. And what is that will of God? That all would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth of God (1st Timothy 2:4). So let's adopt and adapt Paul’s prayer for the Colossians (1:9-12) for ourselves.

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Prayer

Father God, fill me and _(others)_ with a knowledge of You and Your will. Grant us spiritual wisdom and understanding so that we might be enabled to live a life worthy of You and please You in every way. Let it be our desire to bear fruit in every good work growing in our knowledge of You and being strengthened with Your power so that we may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving You thanks for having a qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Your kingdom of light. You're a good, good Father; that's who You are. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Micro-Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 139:1-2

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

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Teaching or Command of God:

Hebrews 3:1

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 

The Promise:

Romans 8:27

He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

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Pondering Point

The Bible describes thoughts as coming not just from the mind, but the heart also. How does that notion impact how you view the above bible passages?

Wednesday, October 3
Your Identity in Christ

• In Christ, I am an adopted child of the Heavenly Father and the (w)hole of my heart is known fully to Him.

The Bible teaches us that God knows our hearts and that He searches our hearts (Psalm 139:23, Romans 8:27); that He purifies our hearts and also soothes them (Psalm 51:10, John 14:1); and that He prepares them as suitable places for his abiding (Ephesians 3:17). One of the most well-known quotes attributed to the church father St. Augustine is this: There is a God-shaped hole in the human heart that only God can fill. Let’s pray that He does.

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Prayer

Father God, may I find solace and comfort in knowing that You are familiar with all of my heart. Let me find comfort in the difficult places, delight in the joyful places, and You in all places. Fill me with peace and love and… well, how about You just fill me with Yourself. That is enough.
This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Micro-Meditation for the Day:

Ps 139:3-4

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.

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Teaching or Command of God:

Deuteronomy 6:7-8

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 

The Promise:

Psalm 94:11-12

The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD, the one you teach from your law;

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Pondering Point

Would it change the way you spoke if you kept in mind that God knows the very words on your tongue – even before you spoke? How could you remember this?

Thursday, October 4
Re-Center Around God

Ephesians 3:16-17a

I pray that out of the Father’s glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
~ Ap. Paul

This week’s re-centering is around matters of the heart. Let’s go at it:

Review the week

Have I withheld part of my heart from the Lord? Have I treasured inappropriate things in my heart? Have I guarded my heart as the Lord tells me to do?

Repent (if necessary)

Have I withheld part of my heart from the Lord? Have I treasured inappropriate things in my heart? Have I guarded my heart as the Lord tells me to do?

Return (as necessary)

Toss out any false idols, any inappropriate throne-usurpers and give God his rightful place in your heart. Unlock any doors that you have kept God out of and any closets you have refused to let Him into. And if you notice any holes in your heart, ask Him to fill you with wisdom, knowledge and peace.

Micro-Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 139:5

You hem (or hedge) me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

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Teaching or Command of God:

1 Chronicles 4:10

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” 

The Promise:

Psalm 125:2

As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

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Pondering Point

When you read Psalm 139:5, make sure to do so in a positive light (hedge of protection) rather than a negative one (hand of oppression or judgment).

Friday, October 5
Discipleship Point

Matthew 6:7

When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans
~ Jesus

One of the primary expressions of a disciple’s commitment to Jesus shows up in a life of prayer, which can take many different forms. One common description calls prayer a “conversation with God.”

Unfortunately, this definition tends to leave people stuck in the talking side of conversation, as if prayer is merely talking “to God” or “at God.” The listening side – hearing from God – is the less-recognized part of a prayerful “conversation”. Here is a short and simple definition from Ralph Martin:

Prayer is, at root, simply paying attention to God
(Fulfillment of All Desire, p. 121).

We highlight three types of conversations with God in our discipleship lessons: (1) Unceasing prayer (think of an internal, running conversation with God), (2) a carved out time for prayer (a devoted time in which you give God your full attention – no multi-tasking) and (3) an as-it-arises stop-and-respond-to-life prayer.

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Discipleship Prayer

Lord Jesus, deepen the discipline of prayer in my life. Enhance my spiritual ears that I might hear You more readily and respond as You desire. Teach me to pray – to pray unceasingly in my day, to carve out time for uninterrupted prayer somewhere in the day, and to be willing to stop and pray in response to what transpires during the day. Amen.

Micro-Meditation for the Day:

Psalm 139:6

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

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Teaching or Command of God:

Proverbs 3:5-6a

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him… 

The Promise:

Proverbs 3:6b

…and he will make your paths straight. 

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Pondering Point

Wonderful here has the sense of beyond grasp, not just lovely. Think of being so full of wonder about God’s ways that you’re unable to wrap your head around it.

Saturday, October 6

Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

This section of Mark could easily serve as two stories. Maybe it is better described as a story-within-a-story. Both happen in the same window of time and both have a dynamic of prayer-of-faith action. First is an older, suffering woman acting out a prayer of her heart by touching the hem of Jesus' garment. Second is Jesus himself offering a prayer but limiting the exposure of those who get to experience it. He literally puts people out of the room before he prays. Both stories bring amazing healing that seemed impossible.

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Prayer Prompt

Lord Jesus, help me tune into the prayers of my heart, my heart-level concerns – and bring them to you persistently. I add a request that You deepen my faith to imitate that of the woman who touched the hem of your garment.

Sunday, October 7
Call to Worship God, to Gather Together

God Bless You

Psalm 42:1-2

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 

A little lifting of the heart suffices; a little remembrance of God, one act of inward worship are prayers which, however short,  are nevertheless acceptable to God.
~Brother Lawrence
Worship is an encounter – coming into God's presence.
~ Jack Hayford
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Prayer for Worship

Father God, teach me to pray from the heart, the place you reside in me. Then teach me to enjoy the conversation both ways. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Sponsored by Hope Lutheran Church 

Copyright (c) 2017-2019 Paul vonWerder

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