Thoughts for Life: #26 Our Lord's Model Prayer

Alvin Vandergriend- Matt. 6:9-13 "This, then is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (v. 10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (v. 11) Give us today our daily bread. (v.12) Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (v. 13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

We call this the Lord's Prayer, but it is actually the disciples' prayer. We know this because Jesus never needed to pray for the forgiveness of sins, as he teaches us to do in this passage. (Google image, The Lord's Prayer)

This is truly a model prayer. Jesus didn't say," This is what you should pray." He said, "This is how you should pray." This prayer wasn't meant to be mechanically repeated. Of course, it is not wrong to use the actual words as a prayer, as long as they are prayed from the heart.

The opening words, "Our Father in heaven," settle the issue of our relationship to God. The One we address is indeed "in heaven"— the mighty, majestic, sovereign God of the universe. But to His children who come to Him in prayer, God is a loving Father.

This model prayer contains six petitions — the first three are concerns focusing on God; the second three are concerns focusing on human beings. this ordering of petitions reminds us that God should have first place in our life of prayer.

What may be most surprising about the first three petitions is that God wants us to pray about concerns that focus on Him. God is perfectly capable of hallowing His name, advancing His kingdom, and enforcing His will without our asking him to do so.

But God chooses to operate in response to our prayers. So much is this so that He asks us to pray for these. His greatest concerns, so that He can glorify His name, bring in His kingdom, and enforce His will in answer to our prayers. That makes our prayers tremendously important.

When we ask God to hollow His name, we are asking God to move in this world in ways that will bring Him glory and honor. "Your kingdom come" is a prayer for God to establish His reign in people's hearts and minds. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" asks God to help people submit to His will as willingly and completely as the angels in heaven do.

Petitions four, five, and six focus on personal human needs. That Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us today our daily bread," reminds us that God cares about our bodies and wants to provide for our physical needs in response to our asking. "Forgive us our debts" is the prayer of Christians who, having come into a wonderful new relationship with God, want to be rid of any sin that might hinder that relationship.

"Lead us not into temptation" is a prayer that God will sustain us in the face of temptations that come from the forces of evil in this world and try to lure us away from God.

To His disciples Jesus said, "This, then is how your should pray." Are you His disciple? Then this is how you should pray!

(pp. 70, 71 in Love to Pray- 40 Day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life by Alvin Vandergriend)

Let's pray-

Father, we ask that You show us what percentage of our prayer life reflects Your first-order of this model prayer. It is our desire to magnify You in all of our praying, and Your advising us how to do that, is our need today.

Help us care enough about Your glory, Your kingdom, and what Your will is so that we can pray this prayer from our hearts. May our praying glorify Your name, advance Your kingdom and enforce Your will in certain instances just because we prayed!

As we use this model prayer to guide us in our daily praying, may we sense Your presence with us in our times of worship individually or in a gathering. May we envision that fresh rain, good crops and healthy family and friends are a result of our praying this way.

We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen

Today's Bible verses-

1 John 3:17, 18 "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

1 Tim. 5:8 (NKJV) "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Heb. 4:12 (NKJV) "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Quote for today-

Debbie McDaniel- "We might be facing the toughest of times, but the truth is this, He's still given us today. He's with us, and will never leave or fail us. His love covers us, His peace sustains us, and His joy gives us the strength to face every trial and obstacle with courage and grace. We can rest in the security that Truth brings."

Our Ambassador to Israel, Michael David Evens' comments:

"Prayer is not just for church or for emergencies. It is meant to be a regular, consistent and daily part of our lives — and a vital tool for spiritual victory."

Ephesians 6:16-18 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

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