"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.'"
- Matthew 6:9-13
I wanted to get a different perspective on the Lord's prayer this week, so I called someone whose prayer life I have always admired and respected and asked her to write an article on prayer. Betty Bennett has asked me several different times how something was going in my life that I had asked for prayers for months before. Her quiet smile when she walked away after finding out that things in that particular area had improved led me to believe that she had been praying for it specifically and was pleased to hear that her prayers had been answered in the affirmative.
When I think of Mrs. Betty, I think of the early years of the prophetess Anna....
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[a] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. - Luke 2:36-38
I am personally incredibly grateful for Mrs. Betty's prayers, and I am incredibly thankful for her words and honesty about her prayer life that she shares with you below. I hope they bless you as they have blessed me, and I hope and pray that we will all learn to lean on God the way she does so we can be used by God the way she is.
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Growing up as a child, in a Christian home, in the 1950's, prayer was certainly a part of my life, but not a large part. I was taught to pray before meals, "God is Great, God is Good" etc. At bedtime, it was "Now I lay me down to sleep." At school, believe it or not, we were even allowed to say "The Lord's Prayer" before starting our classes for the day.
Even though I attended the services of the church three times a week with my parents, I don't remember there being many lessons on prayer. To me it seemed that the deal was, "if all else fails, then pray but don't expect too much." I don't know what happened to the scripture in 1 Thess. 5:17, "pray without ceasing" or Rom. 12:12, where we are told to continue steadfastly in prayer.
As I grew older, married, and had my sons, prayer became an important part of my life. I prayed for wisdom, strength, patience and guidance. I tried to teach my boys that prayer was important to me by praying with them and encouraging them to pray. Of course, countless prayers were said on their behalf.
Over the years, as I have recited "The Lord's Prayer" found in Matt. 6:9-13, I think that is exactly what I did, RECITED, not thinking about the words that it contained. The words, "thy will be done" have played a very big part in my life these past three years.
On October 1, 2010, we were given Monte's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. We both knew the seriousness of this diagnosis but we also knew we had God and lots of "prayer warriors" on our side. We immediately began to pray, asking God for direction and for healing if it was God's will. We also prayed that somehow God would be glorified through this journey. As our journey progressed, there were many bumps in the road. The doctors and nuses were so impressed by our peacefulness and clamness. We told them that we had faith in God and we tried to live out our faith.
Monte's surgery was successful and the tumor was removed. The doctor's initial report was glowing and we praised God for that. He seemed to gain strength for a while. After undergoing chemo for several weeks, the CAT scan showed further spread of the disease. We were devastated!
Monte's health began to deteriorate more and more each week. Prayer was such an imporant part of our lives. I would kneel by his bed with tears streaming down my face, praying that God would heal him, yet also praying that somehow God would be glorified. In the latter stages of his illness, we would come to the table for our meal and he no longer had any strength. He would ask me to pray and pray I DID. We could not have faced what we did without prayer.
On Saturday, July 2, 2011, 12:45 PM, Monte was HEALED!! Not on this earth, as we both wanted so badly but for God's purpose or will.
These past two years have not been easy. Yes, there was even a time when I wondered about my own faith. Was it not strong enough? Did I doubt? Why did God say no? When I pause and take a step back and look at my life these past two years, I see things that I have done and accomplished that had Monte lived, I probably wouldn't have done, such as the widow's ministry and the City of Children mission trips. God has been glorified through Monte's death. Prayers were answered. Praise God!!
The ability to talk to my God each morning is such a blessing? I start each day with a cup of coffee in my hand, my Bible and my prayer list. I know our daily lives can be hectic, especially when raising families, but setting aside time to meet with the Lord is so worth it. I encourage it for you and your family.
When you read the prayer in Matt. 6:9-13, don't just read or recite it, but think deeply about the words He is saying. It is a good pattern for our lives. God knows what is best for us, He will provide for our needs and He will protect us. After all, it is the Lord's prayer.
- Submitted by Betty Bennett
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