A MODEL FOR PRAYER
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil One. (Matthew 6:9–13, NLT)
Jesus gave us a model for prayer. A simple prayer whose structure teaches us how to pray every day for the rest of our lives. It is a prayer that even a child can pray. Yet it is so divinely rich that it reveals the very nature and heart of God.
Jesus’ prayer starts with a statement of worship and adoration. “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.”
The knowledge of God's Father-love is both the simplest and the deepest place to start. God is our Father. God loves us with a Father's love. God is like a loving parent who loves us enough to discipline us and at the same time loves deeply with an unconditional love that knows no end. This is at once simple to grasp and yet takes a lifetime to fully comprehend.
God our Father is holy. And there should be a reverence and an awe in our conception of Him. There should be a humility and respect as we bow to pray to Him. He is our Loving Father, yet He is the Holy One. As we come before the One who sees deep into our soul and knows what lies hidden within us, we come with adoration. “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.”
Jesus’ prayer continues with statement about God's authority. “Let Your kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
When we pray to God we come to the One who has all authority in heaven. We come to the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. We come to the most powerful being alive in the universe. And as we pray, God invites us into His Kingdom. As we pray, we become intertwined with the Kingdom of God. As we pray, and live out our lives before God, the Kingdom of God comes to earth in increasing measure. As we pray, the authority of God moves more and more in and through our lives.
Our Father will provide for us. We need only to ask, "Lord give us today the food we need." Whatever you need, bring it before your Father and He will provide for that need. Our King will forgive us our sins and also invites us to forgive others, as this a part of our Kingdom work.
The Father leads us and guides us away from temptation. There is temptation that we will face in this life. And, if we choose to go with God, He will eventually give us the strength to overcome it and to walk on another path. He will lead us out of temptation.
Our King will rescue us from the evil One. If anything holds you in bondage, our King can step in and release you from the power of that darkness and set you free. You only need to ask Him. You only need to continue to trust Him and walk in the way that He leads. And He will rescue you from the evil One.
What is God saying to me today?
My Prayer List:
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Personal Prayer:
Jesus, teach me to pray like You taught Your disciples. Teach me the power of this simple and yet deeply profound prayer. Teach me to understand its depths and incorporate its concepts into my prayer life. As I sit here, in my secret place, I look to You. You are the Holy One! You are the King of all Kings! Let Your will be done in my life! Let Your Kingdom come on earth! Father You see my needs. Would You provide? Great King You know my sin. Would You forgive? Father You know the path that I should walk today. Would You lead? My King You know the plans of the evil One over my life. Would You protect me? In Jesus’ name, Amen.