Matthew 6:9-15
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:9-15 (NIV)
How we should pray is pretty much spelled out for us in this passage. God knows us and knows what we need, but I think He’d like to have a conversation with us through prayer more than if we didn’t pray and just hoped for what we needed. We don’t need to be eloquent or long winded. We just need to remember who we are praying to, and that our words are not commands to God to hurry up and grant what we’re praying for. God has his timetable, and we have ours, but they don’t always line up.
Jesus told us how to pray, and then gave us what we know as the Lord’s Prayer. The opening is an acknowledgement of who God is, and the next three petitions address God with praise and trust, while the last petitions deal more with our daily living. Over my life, I have heard many people discuss (argue) the wording that should be used in our worship services, but Jesus just wants us to pray by greeting God respectfully, recognize what is due to Him, and ask for help with our daily lives. Repeating these sentences without really thinking about what you are saying is exactly what Jesus warns about near the start of today’s passage. I’m not saying the Lord’s Prayer should be rewritten, but try to say it in your own words when you are alone in your room. You might just find it means more to you. God wants you to talk to Him often, and remember, He already knows what you’re going to pray about!
Wikipedia has information to satisfy even the most diligent scholar about the origins of our versions of the Lord’s Prayer from both Matthew and Luke (click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Prayer).
Questions for Reflection:
- Do you ever pray to God using the same words over and over?
- Have you tried to pray using your own words?
- Does a conversation with God scare you, or do you prefer having prayers printed that you can read and pray?
Prayer:
Gracious Father in heaven, we praise your name and want to live as though your kingdom was on earth. We want to try to live as your children every day and love you and those around us. You know what we need to survive every day, and we ask that you provide for us as you have for all of our lives. Please forgive us as we forgive those around us. Keep us safe in Your love, and protect us from trials in our life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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