Luke 11:2-4, Matthew 6:16-18
We in America tend to walk around with hand full, pockets full, and stuff hanging all over us. Spiritually, we have to realize that God cannot enter our busy lives with both our hands full of stuff. With have to let go of stuff in one hand so we can firmly grasp God. How many of us want to find God and know Jesus better, but make no room for him to come into our over-scheduled lives. We make no sacrifices for the divine.
Jesus calls us to radical devotion through transformed spiritual disciplines. He gives us a model of prayer we common call the "Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father," which Christians throughout the ages have taken and turned into a memorized prayer pattern to guide us through our times of prayer. Intentional prayer is time to make room for God. We have to stop rushing about and slow down the rate of speed of our over-stimulated minds to see God clearly.
Jesus also speaks of fasting. Technically fasting refers to giving up food for a certain period of time in order to focus on what really matters: spiritual food = the Word of God... and also realizing just how dependent we are on God's provision and mercy. However, when we look at spiritual disciplines and making room for God in general, we can see that they are all really about fasting: giving things up so we can be closer to God. I've decided to give up something after praying today. How about you? What can you give up? No one can serve two masters.
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