As a reminder, I began this series by noting that these “Principles” are things which have stood out to me over my many years of walking with The Lord. That by no means makes them infallible, nor absolutely correct. But they are, upon reflection, core ideas which I believe have helped me in having a solid framework for a Christian and Biblical mindset.

I pray you may find them helpful too.

Now ever Christian knows well that prayer is an essential aspect of our relationship to The Lord. Every relationship requires communication if the parties are to truly walk in love and fellowship.

And while we all know this in theory – in truth, I’ve never met anyone who has told me their prayer life is all they would like it to be. Most, I think are pretty dissatisfied with theirs. The reasons are many.

For one thing, we tend to think of spiritual exercises in terms of metrics. In other words – “how much is enough?” Over the years I’ve often heard people talk about being “prayed up.” What’s that? How can one say they have interacted with God enough? How does one measure such a thing? In truth, you can’t. The phrase itself is nonsensical since it implies that there is an “enough” to be had.

Says who?

A second issue in spiritual disciplines is how they can deteriorate into mere rote labor. Ticking off the boxes? Bible reading today? – check (with my pre-programmed number of chapters, verses, etc.) Prayer time? – check (though I have no idea how much, how long, or what to cover). Sunday worship? – check. Additional Bible Study? – check. Devotional reading? – check.

You get the picture.

And it isn’t long before each grows stale and perfunctory. Ultimately, there is little true refreshing or vibrancy.

What to do?

4. The Lord’s prayer is essential for tuning the heart in all things. It is God’s paradigm.

I won’t go back over what I’ve already written in this regard in the “Tuning the Harp/Heart” series. You can go back and read those installments. What I will repeat from those is: As Jesus taught prayer, its very design is meant to bring our heart and soul and mind into such a frame of blessedness, that it truly becomes a joy, a refuge and a place of refreshing and renewing. Our sad neglect of what Jesus was after here has often led to prayer being just the opposite. When God gave the Sabbath to the Jews, He meant it for rest, renewal, rejoicing and restoration. They turned it into a burden to be scrupulously carried out. And I fear that we have followed suit with prayer. If that is our experience, we’re doing something wrong.

‌And I will but add here – that even if you do not use The Lord’s Prayer as a wonderful template for prayer – and the springboard to considering all we need most in coming to the Lord – I would beseech you to take some time each day, just to think about the implications of each of the phrases, and see if they do not lift you up in your soul. They will elevate your thoughts. They will turn your eyes from the mundane and the wickedness and brokenness of this present world – and set your eyes on high once more.

Visit the rehearsal of this prayer a regular means to reframe the heart and mind in tune with God’s own, and His universe. And that, if only to start here: Father, above everything else in life – let your glorious name – your reputation be restored in all the cosmos, that all may be restored to what it ought to be, with sin fully vanquished at last. Be bigger to me than all my concerns, woes, cares and trials. Let me sink into you sovereign, loving care in Christ. Hallowed be your name – to me, in me and through me.

Just those contemplations alone, will refresh your soul day after day.