Intro
“The Lord’s Prayer,” given to us by Jesus, is not only a prayer but also a pattern for all our prayers. It reflects the breadth of our needs and the depth of God’s sovereignty. It is the prayer of prayers from the King of Kings.
Short Prayer
“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 forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
(Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)
An Extended Prayer From the Lord’s Prayer
Heavenly Father, Creator of heaven and earth, I come before You to sanctify Your name. May every thought, word, and deed of mine today bring honor to Your holy name.
May Your kingdom flourish in my heart and extend through my actions. Let Your will take precedence over mine, guiding my choices and aspirations to align with Your eternal purposes.
Provide me, Lord, with the sustenance I need for this day — not only physical nourishment but also spiritual food through Your Word and presence.
I ask for Your forgiveness for my sins, and I pray for your help to extend grace to those who have wronged me.
Guard my heart and mind against the enticements that threaten to lead me astray. Deliver me from the snares of the adversary and keep my spirit attuned to Your righteousness.
For You are the King, the Power, and the Glory, not just for this transient world but for the everlasting one to come. Your dominion is over all, and in Your strength, I find my refuge.
The Lord’s Prayer Devotional
As we reflect on each petition of “The Lord’s Prayer,” we are reminded of our dependence on God for provision, forgiveness, and guidance. Martin Luther, a man known for his deep love of God, once compared prayer to breathing. He said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Just like our bodies need air every moment to stay alive, our spirits need prayer to stay connected to God. It’s how we talk to Him and listen to Him – it’s how we keep our hearts beating with His love and truth.
When we pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” we are telling God that we need Him for everything – just like a plant needs sunlight and water. We’re saying, that every aspect of our life (our needs, temptations, priorities, etc.) all need to be shaped and led by God. We need him for everything.
Exploring “The Lord’s Prayer”: Let’s think about the words Jesus taught us to pray:
Our Father in heaven: We start by remembering God is like a perfect parent in heaven who loves us so much.
Hallowed be your name: We tell God that His name is very special and we want everyone to know how great He is.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven: We ask God to help us live the way He wants, just like the angels do in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread: We ask God for the food and things we need each day to live. Remembering his provision helps us in our anxiety.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors: We ask God to forgive us for things we’ve done wrong, and we tell Him we will forgive others too.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: We ask God to keep us away from the sins that daily tempt us and to protect us from anything that could hurt us.
As we close each recitation of “The Lord’s Prayer,” let it not merely be the end of a ritual, but the beginning of a transformation within us and through us. May the prayer that Jesus Himself gave us become the very rhythm of our lives, each line a stride towards deeper faith. When we say, “Amen,” let it be with the understanding that we are agreeing to carry the love, the obedience, the provision, the forgiveness, and the deliverance of God into every moment of our waking lives.
Children’s Prayer
The Lord’s prayer can be easily prayed with children as it is. It is a great prayer to memorize from an early age. This is a great books to keep teaching how to pray this and other prayers.
Conclusion
“The Lord’s Prayer” transcends time and tradition, continually guiding believers to seek God’s glory, presence, provision, and guidance. We should regularly pray this prayer given to us by Jesus and shape all of our prayers in line with its pattern.