February 4, 2024

Abide in Me: Surrender John 15:1-12

When you hear the word “surrender” – what images, emotions, words come to mind? Write a few down or draw some related images. Where do these come from? Culture? History? Scripture? Family?

One of the places we learn about surrender is in the Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus taught his disciples to pray each day. We yield to God’s presence “on earth as in heaven” through contemplative prayer and reading/listening to the Word, which is our “daily bread.” We yield to God’s holiness through confession and reconciliation, praying “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” And we yield to God’s power in spiritual warfare, asking God to “deliver us from evil.” In all these ways, it is by surrendering to God that we overcome, by emptying ourselves that we are filled, and by yielding our lives to God’s eternal Presence, that our lives themselves become a prayer offered to God and others. (adapted from content by Pete Grieg, How to Pray)

The Lord’s Prayer – PC(USA)

Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom Come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread,
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors,
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
or Thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer – The Message

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you
and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves
and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

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