Friday, August 31, 2012

Making The Lord's Prayer Come Alive


Part of my bedtime routine is to kneel on these 72-year-old knees at the foot of my bed (I look pretty comical getting back up) and praying 5 decades of the Rosary. This requires saying The Lord's Prayer quite a few times.

As anyone who ever prays an established prayer knows, our thoughts can drift while whispering or thinking the oft-repeated, very familiar words and phrases.

Over the past few years, I have slowly developed some little thoughts at each stage of this prayer to help me keep my heart and soul focused on those words. This way, I do not just mumble the words in a non-thinking manner.

Here's how I keep my thoughts on The Lord's Prayer

Our Father (not just "my" father, but father of us all; we are all his family, all his children; none of us is better than the other)

...who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name (please forgive me for all the times I do not keep your name holy, for the times I've said "Oh, my God" and wasn't even thinking of you at that moment)

...Thy kingdom come (let it begin with me; help me to be a good example so that those who are around me see me trying to live as you wish us to live)

...Thy will be done (not my will, but Thine be done; this human child of yours finds this hard to do so I ask for your help in waiting for your guidance and in avoiding just doing things on my own)

...Give us this day our daily bread (thank you for all the times you have done this without my asking for it; please continue to guide me toward food that is good for me)

...Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (help me to forgive those I find it hardest to forgive; and help others to forgive me when I have done something unforgiveable)

...and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (and help me to remember at the time of temptation that you will send me help to resist it if I just ask)

Amen

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Evening Evelyn! I can see you praying and think it is just wonderful! My knees are bad, and I can't up weight on them...but I wish I could. My grandmother whom I lived with most my life prayed every night in her bedroom..either kneeling or while lying in bed (she had a very bad heart). I would lay in my bed and listen to her. She would go through her 6 children and their spouses and their 24 children, and praise the LORD...ect. It made a huge impact on me. I've always had Faith in our LORD as long as I can remember! I also your sharing your thoughts on the LORD's prayer! Just beautiful! Thank you and it encourages me to pray in the evening more!

We are getting some of the outer bands of the storm from hurriane Isaac right now, and the thunder is raddling. I'm going out to see if there is any lightning in the night sky. I LOVE thunder, but not lightning or high winds. We are predicted to get 6-8 inches of rain. sigh~ At least is isn't like LA or MO or AK got. Poor people...in this heat. Our humidity all day today has been 85%...that is miserable too. :) God's blessings ! ♥♥♥

Anonymous said...

I just watched our news weather update, and since I last watched a couple days ago, it seems our storm should be very mild instead of worse. I'm so relieved! Just thought I'd let you know after leaving the last comment~ ♥

Evelyn Mayfield said...

Thank you for the kind comments. Keeping you high on my prayer list regarding the upcoming rain, that it not be anything to cause problems in your area.
Hugs and prayers
Evie