"How goes your Prayer life?" Readings for Sunday for July 25th, 2010

"How goes your Prayer life?"

In this Sunday's Gospel (Luke 11:1-13) Jesus tells us how to pray, and the importance of not giving up, never give up. Be Persistent with God!

"What am I supposed to pray? What do I say? God already knows it all. What's the point?"
The point is communication. Imagine if every time you went on a date with a person, that person didn't say a word. You wouldn't be dating that person too long! That's because a relationship goes nowhere if there's no communication, no effort made. Same with God. You've got to spend time together, and you've got to talk.

Imagine it happening this way- "Johnny met Jenny, and, after they dated a few months, Johnny told her he loved her. After a while, though, Johnny hardly ever called or saw Jenny anymore. He ignored her- except for about an hour a week when he showed up at her house, mumbled a few words, and then go on his way. Is it any wonder Johnny and Jenny's relationship didn't last?"
Well, you just read a perfect example of the relationship a lot of us have with God. God calls us, writes us (this book is his ultimate love letter), and even visits us. Too often our response is showing up at God's house once a week, mumbling a few responses, and then running out as soon as the final song starts.
Real love can only happen when people spend time together, people who are in love share their hopes and dreams, their pains and sorrows, and they desire to be in each other’s presence.
Next time you pray open the door to your heart and ask God to be your lifetime friend—now and forever.
How do I pray? There are many ways to pray, and none is "the best" way. All forms of prayer are communication- talking and listening, a two way street. You could even sing it if your gutsy enough. (What boy or girl doesn't like a song sang to him or her, no matter how bad it sounds?)
Then you can thank God, just start thinking of things you are thankful for. You won't believe how long the list will be once you get into it!
Praying is also telling God we're sorry for the sinful things we've done. Sometimes it's begging and pleading for something we really need. Sometimes we say" God, where are you? Why didn't you answer my prayer? Don't keep me hanging like this!"
We can feel neglected when we don't get the results we want. But God always answers our prayers—sometimes with "Yes," sometimes with "no way," and sometimes with "Maybe later. It's not the right time yet." None of us like to hear "no," and most of us hate waiting around for an answer. But God knows what's best for us, and when it's best for us. That means that we will spend many days wondering if God has heard our prayer. Just as you are about to give up you may hear "Friend, your prayers have been heard."

Just remember… Be Persistent! God has big ears!

IHN tommyk

Readings for Sunday for July 25th, 2010 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Genesis 18:20-32

20 In those days, the LORD said: “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, 21 that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.”22 While Abraham’s visitors walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. 23 Then Abraham drew nearer and said: “Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? 24 Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?” 26 The LORD replied, “If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! 28 What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” He answered, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.” 29 But Abraham persisted, saying “What if only forty are found there?” He replied, “I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty.” 30 Then Abraham said, “Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there.” 31 Still Abraham went on, “Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” The LORD answered, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty.” 32 But he still persisted: “Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?” He replied, “For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it.”

Questions for Discussion:

1. When you were a child and wanted something from your parents, how did you try to persuade them?

2. What impresses you most about God in this story?
His confiding in Abraham? His judgment? His mercy?

3. What impresses you most about Abraham in this story?
his Boldness? his Compassion? his influence on God?

4. When did you last see God answer your prayer by meeting a specific need in your life?



Reading II Colossians 2:12-14

12 Brothers and sisters: You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; 14 obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.

Question for Discussion:

1. What experiences does the believer share with Christ?



Gospel Luke 11:1-13

1 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread 4 and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.” 5 And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9 “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Questions for Discussion:

1. In Jesus’ model prayer (vv 2-4) what two concerns related to God come first? Why? What personal concerns then follow?

2. How do prayer and forgiveness relate?

3. Reading over the ‘Our Father’ prayer, what lines from it stand out for you? Why?

4. Isn’t it astounding that Jesus tells us to go ahead and wear God out with our requests?

5. If someone said that they found the ‘Our Father’ boring because of repetition, how would you encourage them to say it in a way that has meaning? Describe.

6. Describe your prayer life. How often do you pray? Would you consider it quality time with God? What could you do to better improve it?