Keep in Touch

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. The devotional for today titled Keep In Touch was written by John Blaise. Madeline Lingle made it a habit to call her mother once a week. As her mother moved into her later years, the beloved spiritual writer called more frequently just to keep in touch. In the same way, Madeline liked her children to call and maintain that connection. Sometimes it was a lengthy conversation filled with significant questions and answers.

Other times, a call simply making sure the number was still valid was sufficient. As she wrote in her book Walking on Water, it is good for the children to keep in touch. It is good for all of us children to keep in touch with our Father. Most of us are familiar with the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 verses 9 through 13, but the verses that preceded are just as important for they set the tone for what follows. Our prayers aren't to be showy, to be seen by others.

And while there's no limit on how long our prayers need to be, many words doesn't automatically equate to quality prayer. The emphasis seems to be on maintaining regular contact with our Father who knows our need before we ask Him. Jesus stresses how good it is for us to keep in touch with our Father, then instructs us, this then is how you should pray. Prayer is a good vital choice, for it keeps us in touch with the God and Father of us all. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6 verses 5 through 9. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.

Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. This then is how you should pray. Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Let's pray. Father, thank you for knowing our needs even before we speak them. And even though you already know our needs, help us to bring them to you and lay them at your feet, and then trust you to act in our best interest. Thank you, Jesus. It's in your name that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.