Matthew 6:5–15 – “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
The Lord’s Prayer is a guide for how we should pray, and there are 6 elements that Jesus models for us to mimic.
“Our Father in Heaven”: Adoration
The Lord’s Prayer begins with the phrase Our Father. In these two simple terms are two towering truths. One, to be a Christian is to have God the Father lovingly adopt you to be His beloved child. Two, to be a Christian is to have a new spiritual church family with other brothers and sisters who also call on God together as our Father. As a Christian, you cannot be healthy unless you have both a relationship with God as Father and a church as a family.
“Hallowed Be Your Name. Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done, on Earth as It Is in Heaven”: Worship
Every day, the prayers we pray, words we speak, and decisions we make either invite the kingdom of God down into our lives or pull the kingdom of hell up into our lives. In any battle, secure and reliable communication channels are absolutely essential.
Worship includes music and singing songs, but it is much more than this. It is also about living lives that do God’s will. Worship is praying for the kingdom to come, and then living as a citizen of that kingdom out of love for King Jesus. Prayer is how we align ourselves with God’s will and position ourselves to help build God’s kingdom.
“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”: Provision
This portion of the prayer allows us to ask for practical things in life. You need food to eat, water to drink, and a place to live. For those things to get paid for, you also need a job and sufficient health to work it. God knows you have these needs, and when you ask Him, you are building your relationship. Your needs are not a burden. You are a blessing to your Father, just as children are a blessing to their parents.
Reflection:
- How can you incorporate these 6 elements of the Lord’s Prayer into your own prayer life?
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