Matthew 6.9–13
9 “Pray then like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’”
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My Father has also given me the gift of prayer. Prayer seems easy, and in many ways it is, yet so many struggle to pray. Even the disciples, who grew up in Jewish homes and followed Jesus for years, asked of Jesus, “teach us to pray” (Luke 11.1). Think about that! If they needed to be taught to pray, I most certainly do, too!
Jesus gave me a pattern and model for prayer. This helps me to anchor my prayers in the Gospel, rather than have them be empty requests or self-seeking wish lists, which prayer is often like. The Lord’s Prayer gives me a simple model to remind me to first praise God for who He is, and even be reminded that He is in fact my Father! I am not a burden to Him, but I am a joy and a pleasure to my Father. It reminds me to be thankful for my forgiveness, to forgive others, and to go to Him, as my Father, and ask Him for provision for His good gifts and daily sustenance. It reminds me to always be seeking His good and perfect will and to be submitting myself to Him. But ultimately, it reminds me that since I am able to go to Him in prayer, that alone is the greatest gift and treasure; I can commune with God Almighty!
Prayer is about
seeking God Himself.
He is the good we seek,
not His answer.
-Kyle Strobel
When I pray, “hallowed be Your Name,” I am saying to God, “let Your Name be glorified through my life!” When I pray this for my wife, my kids, my friends, or my church family, or even towards my own pains, struggles, or joys, I am praying that above all things, I and the others I pray for would find the presence, promises, and peace of God as we see the Name of Jesus Christ be glorified among us.
God has given me the gift of His Word, and He also gives me the gift of prayer. When my prayers become my response to His Word, and my words are becoming intertwined with His Word, my communion with God is deepened and strengthened. I am speaking His language and desires, and I will learn to truly pray “in Jesus’ Name” in direct proportion to how much I am spoken to by His Word.
The wedding of
the bible and prayer
anchors your life down
in the real God.
-Tim Keller
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Personalize and Read or Pray Aloud:
Psalm 105.1–6, 37-45
1 Oh give thanks to the Lord;
call upon his name;
make known his deeds
among the peoples!
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those
who seek the Lord rejoice!
4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
5 Remember the wondrous works
that he has done,
his miracles,
and the judgments he uttered,
………………………………………….……………
37 Then he brought out Israel
with silver and gold,
and there was none
among his tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quail,
and gave them
bread from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock,
and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
44 And he gave them
the lands of the nations,
and they took possession
of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
45 that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the Lord!
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Pray Aloud:
Father, be glorified in __________ ,
let Your Kingdom and will be done,
in and through __________ as it is in Heaven.
Give _________ daily bread,
and thank You for Your forgiveness.
Help me to forgive others,
as I know that You have forgiven me.
Keep __________ eyes fixed on You and Your Word
so that _______ may not sin against You.
Thank You for Your sovereign love.
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