JUNE 19
"And Jesus said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil." -Luke 11:2-4 (KJV)
In Scripture there are many different names used for God. While all are important, the name Jesus uses for God was “Abba ” when teaching us how to pray. It is unique and deeply significant in understanding how God relates to us. Because of our close relationship with God through Jesus his son, he invites us to approach God Almighty as our personal heavenly Father with “boldness” (Heb. 10:19). The word for "Father" Jesus uses in this powerful prayer shows us God is not only majestic but personal and loving. The word "Father" for God was Abba in the original language meaning "Daddy". This is very unusual in personal Hebrew prayers, indicating close family relationships. The use of God's name in this intimate way was considered heresy by many in Jesus' time. Even today in synagogues, the name of God is not spoken aloud when reading Holy Scriptures but the phrase "The Lord, Blessed be the Holy Name" is reverentially spoken instead as the reader bends down and kisses the text where God's name is. This is called the "Lord's Prayer" because Jesus gave it to all disciples including us today as a model to use as we pray.
Praising God first before we pray gives us right perspectives to share needs. Sometimes prayers become like shopping lists rather than intimate conversations with our loving Father. How can we praise and honor God best? By being thankful for what he has already done and using God's name reverentially. For effective prayers, Jesus says we should praise God first and then pray for God's rule in our world. Then we can pray for daily needs and finally for help in struggles and temptations. Do you use this model in your own prayers? If not, try it today! Jesus provided this it as an example to be imitated. Remember even though good fathers make mistakes, they try to treat their children well. How much better our perfect heavenly Father will treat you and all the children he loves! Even though answers may be slow in coming at times, persevere in prayer. Then rest assured God hears your every prayer and will answer in his perfect time because you are his beloved child!
Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank you for your wonderful perfect prayer.
Amen.
Meditation For The Day:
Prayer liberates. Silence devastates.
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Summer Renewal Paperback – May 23, 2017
by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson
Used with permission of the family of the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson.
Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson, D.Min., (1942-2018)
Mary was Ordained in 1975.
She served both as a Parish Pastor and in multiple Specialized Ministry Settings.
She worked on the Clinical Staff of New England Memorial Hospital and Middleton Pastoral
Counseling Center in Massachusetts and was a Director of Green Pastures Counseling Centers in N.H.
She was a state Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor,
Nationally Board-Certified Counselor (N.C.C.), and Nationally Certified Pastoral Counselor (AAPC)
and held certification as a Clinical Member of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (A.C.P.E.).
She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Psychology and Clinical Studies
from Andover Newton in Newton, MA.
Dr. Johnson also founded Good News Specialized Ministries, Inc.
This unique ministry provided education and Clinical Christian Counseling to thousands of people over the decades and trained numerous Clinical Counselors and Counseling Ministers while offering weekly non-denominational worship services to the community for more than 20 years.
%20(1)%20(1)_webp.png)
I had the honor and privilege of working with Pastor Arnie Johnson
when I served as the pastor for the Richmond Community United Methodist Church in Richmond, NH from 2019 - 2022.
I personally have been deeply touched by Mary's writings. Her family has graciously allowed me to share them with you. - Pastor Sharon Sargent
"I always considered my ministry at Richmond as a shared ministry. Mary had the expertise that helped me function as well as I did. I received critiques on the way home after the services. I finally realized that I may have “arrived” when one day she was pleased with my performance with no critique! That took several years! So, I would love it if you would use the picture of the two of us and mention Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson as my spouse and partner in ministry, and she continued to be until the day she died, four days before the end of my appointment at Richmond." - Pastor Arnie Johnson
Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson is the author of eight other published books including:
"Activating The Power Of Pastoral Care: A Team Approach";
"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Renewal"(Vol.1-4);
"Flying Free: Transforming Grief and Loss into Renewal";
Following The Angel Trail: In The Steps Of Jesus";
"Love In Action: The Healing Heritage Of The Counseling Ministry Of The Church";
"Visions Of Hope: Voices Of Americana";
"Healing Streams: Journeys Of Healing".
She has also been published in the AAPC professional Journal "Journeys" and in the Keene Sentinel.