The study was going well. Jackie was so hungry to learn more that I just know that God took my team up that hill to meet her and share with her. So, we used the Lord’s prayer as a model for a new way of praying, since it is what she is used to. I was so encouraged by the simplicty of her faith in that she prayed that prayer every day and just knows that the Lord hears her. So, with the Lord’s guiding, I broke it down for her to make it personal.
Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father in heaven, holy is your name,”
-This verse is to the praise of God. His name is holy and this is the time in prayer where we praise the person of God.
“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
-Here is where we thank God for his good plans. You can insert anything here that you are thankful for.
“Give us today our daily bread.”
-Ask the Lord. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares upon him for he cares for you.” Not some of your cares, not just the important ones, ALL of your cares.
“Forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who sin against us.”
-Forgive to receive freedom. We have been forgiven and so this is the time where we bring anything to God. Rather than gossiping or even trying to work something out with friends, simply talking wih God first and allowing him to grant us perspective. Matt. 6:14 “For if you forgive others trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
-Here is where we can pray for God’s protection even from future sins.
Jackie asked here how the Lord can help us. And so began a discussion about letting the Lord fight our spiritual battles for us. When we ask him to help us out of sin, we don’t just end there, we ask him to fill that place with the things of Phil. 4:8 “whatever is right, noble, true, praiseworthy…” and that is how we choose victory since the battle has already been won for us by the Lord.
We then proceeded to pray together using this familiar model with new words. It was beautiful. And when I think back on this month, if meeting Jackie was the only reason why I went to Iquitos, what an awesome plan God has. He heard one of his children crying out for more and sent us up there. We arrived sweaty and bug-bitten and shared the word of the Lord Because of this study Jackie told us how excited she was to share with her neighbors. And I firmly believe this is how the gospel truly spreads, neighbor to neighbor. And how wonderfully fulfilling that the Lord sent us there to equip a woman to go out to her own neighbors.
This is missions. Praise the Lord.
