About Prayer (Part 8)
(Continued) 👆
The prayer mentioned above consists of seven phrases. The first three phrases express gratitude to God, while the remaining four relate to our daily spiritual and physical life as Christians. The purpose of these phrases is to help us lead a righteous Christian life and remain steadfast in our spiritual goals. As these prayers encapsulate the essence of the Gospel, we should practice them with sincerity and humility, offering our prayers to our heavenly Father who sees us in secret. Prayer is a sacrifice that communicates with God, so we should offer ourselves to God with obedience and sincerity. As God knows us better than we do, he chooses and provides only what is necessary and beneficial for us. Just as an earthly father doesn't grant his child everything they ask for, but provides only what is necessary, our heavenly Father has prepared more for us than our earthly father, so we should wait patiently for Him. We should love the giver more than the gift, and keep the prayer "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" in our hearts and on our lips.
Many people find the fifth phrase in Abune Zebesemayat's prayer difficult to put into practice. However, forgiveness is a condition for receiving forgiveness from our heavenly Father. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." This powerful word is connected to the fifth verse, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). We can see what Jesus taught about forgiveness in Matthew chapter 18, verses 21 to the end.
Therefore, God forgives our sins and shows us mercy only after we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. To ensure our own safety, we must prepare ourselves, avoid gossip, and strive to follow the Lord's teachings of love and mercy without fear. Otherwise, we will not receive mercy and salvation. We cannot attain salvation from sin by faith alone; we also need mercy and works of love. This is why the apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:6 that "faith working through love" is beneficial for us. When he spoke about our salvation, he said, "Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose" (Philippians 2:12-13). Therefore, if we pray to our heavenly Father, forgiving those who have sinned against us and diligently working towards our salvation, we will not only be seekers of the Christian faith but also participants in the work of righteousness.
May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every language that He has created, today and always. May the blessings of the Holy Mother of God, the Virgin, and the Cross be upon us. Amen.
© John's Repentance
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