Come & See: 10 Cowboy Devotions to Strengthen Your Ride With ChristSample

Runnin' Off at the Mouth

“When you talk to the Boss, don’t run your mouth off like an auctioneer who don’t know when to say ‘Sold!’ Just repeatin’ the same words over and over and over again don’t get your prayers answered.” Matthew 6:7

In verses 7 through 13, we read the famous "Lord's Prayer." Many people learn it as a nighttime prayer as kids. But before Jesus shows us how to pray, He tells us how not to pray.

He tells us not to go runnin’ off at the mouth. Using fancy words and repeating the same things over and over won’t get you anywhere.

So, how does He tell us to pray?

Our Boss, who owns the heavenly pastures in the sky, may Your name be revered above all others (Matthew 6:9). Know who you’re talking to. I mean, you really need to understand who you’re talking to.

I hope Your pastures come soon, and I hope we all do what You want us to down here—just like things are done up there on Your spread (Matthew 6:10).

Our goal is, and always should be, oneness with God. Jesus tells us to pray for what God wants.

Bring us today everything we’ll need to get us by . . . (Matthew 6:11).

God wants to provide for us, His kids. Well, maybe He doesn’t just want to provide; He wants you to know that He is the provision.

. . . and look the other way when we fail You. Help us also to look the other way when our partners fail us (Matthew 6:12).

Why should we forgive others? Listen, every single time you break God’s law—or, in other words, every single sin—it is a slap on God’s face, yet He forgives time and again. All the mean things ever done against you will never get close to the amount of meanness you’ve had against God.

And don’t let us fall into gopher holes that will kill us, but keep us safe and sound from evil (Matthew 6:13).

If the only thing God ever, and I mean ever, did for you is forgave you of your sins, it would be all you need. If He never gave us wisdom or the gifts of His Spirit, we’d still have everything. But the fact that He does all these things in addition to forgiving us is really incomprehensible.

Cowboy Call:

Is it easy or hard for you to forgive? If you’ve been forgiven for everything, maybe it’s time for you to forgive that one person for that one thing.