Lent WEEK 4: March 11-17 - LEARNING TO PRAY

WEEK 4:

LEARNING TO PRAY

March 11-17 / Weekly Fast: Caffeine and Sweets

Reading

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” LUKE 11:1–13

Supplemental Passages to Consider Throughout the Week

Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 5:25-34, James 5:13-18

 

Eternal Father,

Thou are good beyond all thought,

But I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind;

My lips are ready to confess, 

but my heart is slow to feel, 

and my ways reluctant to amend.

I bring my soul to thee; 

break it, wound it, bend it, mould it.

Unmask to me sin’s deformity, 

that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.

My faculties have been a weapon of revolt against thee; 

as a rebel I have misused my strength, 

and served the foul adversary of thine kingdom.

Give me grace to bewail my insensate folly,

Grant me to know that the way of transgressors is hard, 

that evil paths are wretched paths, 

that to depart from thee is to lose all good.

I have seen the purity and beauty of thy perfect law, 

the happiness of those in whose heart it reigns, 

the calm dignity of the walk to which it calls, 

yet I violate and contemn its precepts.

Thy loving Spirit strives within me, 

brings me Scripture warnings, 

speaks in startling providences, 

allures by secret whispers, 

yet I choose devices and desires to my own hurt, 

impiously resent, grieve, and provoke him to abandon me.

All these sins I mourn, lament, and for them cry pardon.

Work in me more profound and abiding repentance;

Give me the fullness of a godly grief 

that trembles and fears, 

yet ever trusts and loves, 

which is ever powerful, and ever confident;

Grant that through the tears of repentance 

I may see more clearly the brightness and glories of the 

saving cross.

PRAYER FROM “THE VALLEY OF VISION”

This is taken from the Seasons of Lent Guide from The Village Church.