The Lord’s Prayer as a Preface to Bible Study

Often when I read the Bible I am at a loss as to how to prepare my heart. Many of my prayers are something as simple as “open my eyes” or something like that. Such a prayer is certainly an acceptable approach to reading the Bible, but there are times when I want to express something more directed. I have found that the Lord’s Prayer can finely tune my thoughts to things seemingly on the heart of God. When Jesus told his disciples to pray the Lord’s Prayer, he was telling them not only how to approach the Father in isolation, but how to commune with the Father at any time and in any situation. I trust the following meditation is a helpful approach showing how the Lord’s Prayer might prepare our hearts and minds for the time we spend in God’s Word.

Open the eyes of my heart, O Father, as I read your word…

Help me acknowledge you as my heavenly Father,
help me see others as your children, and
help me love others as you first loved me.

Help me revere and worship your name, above any other name,
help me see how your hand moves in all that happens to and around me, and
help me not do anything, through word or deed, to shame your name.

Help me live in the light of your daily emerging heavenly kingdom on earth,
help me become a better citizen of your kingdom,
help me become an active part of your kingdom,
help me spread the teachings of your kingdom, and
help me show and bring others to your coming kingdom through word and deed.

Help me better understand your will, both moral and special, for my daily choices,
help me acknowledge your will as supreme on earth, and
help me fully experience your character through seeing and obeying your will in my life.

Help me thankfully receive the daily material and spiritual bread you have for me to consume,
help me develop an increasing love for your bread over any other bread the world has to offer, and
help me become your hands that feed your material and spiritual bread to others.

Help me see that you forgive us our debts and sins, regardless of how dark they may be,
help me live in the freedom your forgiveness provides,
help me deepen my understanding and experience of your great love, and
help me show others your love so they might see, acknowledge, accept, and enjoy your offer of forgiveness.

Help me properly respond to your gift of forgiveness by freely forgiving others,
help me have the strength to remain steadfast in my patience, love, and forgiveness toward others, and
help me experience the full measure of your love so I would never hold a grudge against others who are indebted to me.

Help me remain steadfast in my study of your word so I might avoid temptation,
help me have the courage to enter the narrow gate of your holiness,
help me have the strength to walk the difficult road of your sanctification, and
help me receive encouragement from the reading of your word and the work of the Spirit.

Help me see your truth and goodness,
help me trust your promises even when I don’t fully comprehend them,
help me better recognize the evils surrounding me, and
help me have the strength and courage to abstain from all forms of evil.

Help me acknowledge the eternal power and glory of your heavenly kingdom,
help me become wholly invested in your kingdom instead of any kingdom of this world,
help me more fully enjoy the eternal glory of your kingdom,
help me more completely trust in your eternal power, and
help me live in joyful expectation of that day when I will enter the gates of your heavenly kingdom.