Day 15: Praying for God’s People
Today we continue our focus on this part of the Lord’s prayer:
“Give us today our daily bread.”
We’re focusing the “us” part of this phrase. What could “we” as God’s people, need more than ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to understand what God is up to daily!
Warm Up:
Pray something like this:
“God, Your people are Your plan to reach this world. Open our ears to hear Your word to us. Open our eyes to see the needs around us. Open our hearts to the ways we must live as an invitation for people to come and know You. The fields are ripe for harvest, help us hear, see and understand clearly!”
Round 1:
Read through this passage Sloooooowly:
Matthew 13:1-9—“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:16-23 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Round 2:
Pray that God’s people would be blessed with ears to hear daily.
Pray that God’s people would be students of His word—that they would not be ashamed of it but correctly handle the word of truth.
Round 3:
Pray that god’s people would be blessed with eyes to see daily.
Pray that God’s people would see where He is working and join Him there. Pray that they would see the true needs around them and work to bring healing to that area.
Burn Out:
Pray that god’s people would be blessed with a heart to understand daily.
Pray that God’s people would have divine revelation of His word and would know how to apply it to their lives—with exponential outcomes!