The Prayer He Taught Us

photo by Damiel Gotko from Unsplash

He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. [Luke 11: 2-4]

Every once in a while, we need to return to God's Word to help us focus our lives, in this case, our prayer life.

It's so short!

I am continually surprised by the brevity of the scriptural version of the prayer we know as "the Lord's Prayer." For one thing, it reminds us of our tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be.

It starts with God

The prayer is directed to our Father, who is the holy God! And it places us within God's intention for us--our place in the coming of God's Kingdom.

It is a prayer for "us," not just me

Notice the language of the prayer

• Give us . . .

• Forgive us . .

• .for we . . .

• And lead us . . .

When we pray the prayer Jesus taught us, we are praying alongside and for others.

We are praying alongside others. This prayer serves as an excellent prayer for worship, which we use weekly. It is also a suitable prayer for nearly any circumstance requiring prayer, as it is inherently a communal prayer that we share with numerous others.

We are praying for others. This prayer isn't just for our personal well-being or salvation. It urges us, as Jesus frequently did, to think about the well-being of others, not just ourselves or those close to us. When we say this prayer, we should be praying for others.

It is a prayer of supplication

Notice the language of the prayer is declarative--it makes a statement or declares a fact:

• Give us each day our daily bread.

• Forgive us our sins.

• . . ..for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

• And lead us not into temptation . . .

But we must remember two things that Jesus makes clear to us throughout His ministry.

First, Jesus always "cuts to the chase" when it comes to his relationship with the Father; he declares. He says what he means in the clearest, most direct language possible.

But second, Jesus always assumes that you are to speak to the Father in gratitude. Though the prayer may sound like a declaration, it is truly a supplication--asking (even pleading) for something earnestly and humbly. This is made very clear later in this passage from Luke:

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [Luke 11: 9]

"Ask," and it will be granted. In the Lord's Prayer, we request blessings for our (and others') well-being (our daily sustenance), forgiveness, and protection from temptation.

Let us pray

Therefore, each Sunday during worship, as we recite the historically expanded version of the Lord's Prayer, and whenever we come across this prayer in different life situations, let us recall the simple and concise prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, presenting it in service to God, for the benefit of others and ourselves.

______________________________________________________________________

Be Careful What You Pray For

We have been taught to pray

give us wellbeing

forgive us

But it never seems to be enough

guide

empower

heal 

or is it comfort?

bring victory...peace?

Your kingdom come

Your kingdom!

give us the grace to pray with care