God’s gift . . .
Praying Through the Lord’s Prayer & Beyond
My Soapbox Rant —> I read an article the other day that really upset me . . . It stated that churches don’t use the Lord’s Prayer anymore because “it doesn’t mean anything, especially to younger people” . . . “It is just a rote, useless prayer” . . . “No one knows what it means or cares” —> That is a big red flag to me . . . It is scripture, Jesus taught it as a lesson, for a reason . . . So, what else in our Christian heritage are we ignoring, putting down, or throwing away completely?
Praying the Lord’s Prayer is one way to make Jesus’s story our own story . . . Over time, the prayer helps us grow into people who trust God daily, love and forgive others, and participate in the good work that unites Heaven and Earth.
Most everyone knows the Lord’s Prayer . . . or at least is familiar with it . . . Maybe we know it a little too well . . . When something becomes familiar, sometimes the spiritual excitement and meaning fade into the background . . . We know it, so we don’t think about it, or we ignore what we are saying altogether . . . We can miss the true beauty and depth found within the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer is a pattern for prayer that Jesus taught His followers to pray in everyday life . . . The Lord’s Prayer is a reminder of who God is and how we should engage with Him . . . These important themes are what should be incorporated into our own prayers.
So, again, the Lord’s Prayer is not a prayer we are to mindlessly recite back to God . . . It’s an example of how we should be praying . . . There is nothing wrong with memorizing the Lord’s Prayer and there is nothing wrong with praying the Lord’s Prayer back to God . . . as long as your heart is in it and you truly mean the words you say . . . Remember, God is far more interested in our communicating with Him and speaking from our hearts, than He is in the specific words we use . . . in prayer, we are to pour out our hearts to God.
There is, of course, much more to prayer than the Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that teaches us to pray.
It is a foundation of the praying life: its introduction and its continuing basis.
It is an enduring framework for all praying. You only move beyond it provided you stay within it.
It is the necessary bass in the great symphony of prayer.
It is a powerful lens through which one constantly sees the world as God himself sees it.
(Dallas Willard)
The Lord’s Prayer was intended as a model not a mantra . . . Think about this . . . before Jesus tells the disciples how to pray, He tells them how not to pray . . . they shouldn’t pray like hypocrites . . . God desires, and will reward faithful, well-intentioned prayers . . . Jesus taught the prayer model as an alternative to the mindless, repetitive nature of pagan prayer . . . Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)
In contrast to the repetitive gibberish of the pagans, Jesus taught His disciples to “Pray then like this.” (Matthew 6:9)
INSIGHT with the INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . .
When we memorize a prayer, we can say it without much effort—
this is especially helpful when we don’t exactly know what to pray.
Reciting the Lord’s Prayer gives me comfort and a sense of connection with God.
When I use the Lord’s Prayer as a guide, I find that Jesus’s words can provide
helpful direction, especially when my mind is full of distractions and worry.
(Emily Vanden Heuvel)
Our Father, Who art in heaven . . .
The Lord’s prayer begins with “Our Father,” not “my”Father . . . God is Father for every believer and by using the word “our” and not “my” Jesus was teaching that prayer is a collective, shared activity, not just an individual endeavor . . . Jesus tells us to start our prayers by addressing God as “Our Father” because it is a reminder of our honest identity as God’s children . . . As His children, we pray for His mercy or forgiveness upon all of us, not just for ourselves.
The prayer continues . . . “Who art in heaven” . . . In Old English, “art” means to be or to exist . . . This is a reminder that we pray to our God who lives in heaven . . . and we do not pray to objects or idols on Earth . . . It is also a reminder as to where God is right now . . . God is present and cares about us . . . He is our heavenly father.
Hallowed be Thy name . . .
The Lord’s Prayer begins with worship . . . Rather than starting with our list of wants and needs, we begin with praise and worship of our Father who knows us better than we know ourselves and has a plan for us.
The word “hallowed” is an archaic way of saying that something should be made holy . . . “Hallowed be thy name” . . . “Holy is your name” . . . and we use the name of God with reverence and respect—never in jest or a careless manner . . . God is our heavenly Father and we can approach Him anytime, but the name of God is holy and needs to be kept that way . . . In the Bible, “holy” signifies God’s one-of-a-kind status . . . He is the source of all reality and the author of life, without beginning or end.
What does the Lord’s Prayer teach us then? . . . that we can come as we are, but don’t forget the awe of the moment.
Talk with God and ask Him to open your heart and mind to who God is for you today?
Consider, who you need Him to be? . . . Who do you want Him to be?
Thy kingdom come . . .
The Lord’s Prayer is reminding us that, for followers of Jesus, we belong to a different kingdom . . . instead of being focused on earthly kingdoms . . . When we are praying “Thy kingdom come” we are asking to become a part of God’s kingdom.
There are two different kingdoms that are battling each another . . . God’s Kingdom and the enemy’s kingdom of this world . . . It can be tempting to seek this worldly kingdom at times . . . it often promises wealth, prosperity, and fame, but it involves putting self-first and striving to accumulate more and more and more.
God’s Kingdom, on the other hand, involves putting the needs of others above our own . . . It involves dying to the flesh and resisting the cravings for more . . . of relaxing and releasing our grip on things of this world, and instead, finding complete fulfillment in seeking God instead.
Our time here will end . . . this world will not last forever . . . and that’s okay . . . you see, our hope isn’t in the present world . . . our hope is in what we cannot see . . . When Jesus prayed “Thy kingdom come,” He’s reminding us of where our hope is . . . in the kingdom of God.
This pursuit of seeking God’s Kingdom begins with aligning our hearts so that we love God more than anything this world can offer . . . It begins by surrendering our idols, those desires, and pursuits that consume our time, minds, and finances . . . and it begins by placing faith in our Heavenly Father.
Our actions, priorities, and the way we spend our time and resources will always be an indication of which kingdom we seek first in our hearts . . . Rather than chasing after things that we hope to attain, God wants us to chase after Him, first and foremost . . . Look at what we pursue . . . and you will know where you heart is.
When you pray, talk with God, thank and praise Him for His kingdom.
Pray for an expansion of His kingdom here on earth.
Pray for people who do not know Jesus . . .
the Holy Spirit will whisper their names to you.
Trust in God’s power, submit to the Spirit’s whispering to your heart and soul, and trust that the Lord is listening to you.
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . .
“Thy will be done on earth” is not about us . . . We like to think that life is all about us . . . but this is a reminder that you and I are given the task to help build God’s kingdom . . . not my kingdom or your kingdom—God’s kingdom . . . When we follow Jesus, our lives should be about fulfilling God’s will and not our own.
We need to abandon the thought-patterns and lifestyles of the world, as we come to the Kingdom of God . . . abandon the society, the system that man has built in order to make himself happy without God . . . that earthly kingdom is antagonistic to God and the prince of this earthly world is Satan, who seeks to attract and hold people through their pride, lusts, vanity, and arrogance.
Christ died to deliver us from this world . . . Believers are not of the world any more than Christ is of the world . . . However, we are sent into the world to testify . . . testify about the works of evil and that salvation is available to anyone who puts their faith in the Jesus Christ.
Through praying for the will of God to be done in and through our lives on earth, the Lord’s Prayer becomes a battle-cry in the struggle to bring about God’s purposes on earth . . . We are praying that we, and others, might be the means through which God’s purpose can be accomplished . . . and that the justice and peace of God’s kingdom will become a reality in peoples’ lives.
It is to pray for perseverance until the victory is won, rather than surrender by retreating from the conflict . . . we’re seeking discernment, and guidance in whatever circumstances we find ourselves . . . Sometimes we don’t know what the best way is to move forward, or the best solution to a problem . . . so we pray for God’s will to be done . . . We are placing what we are struggling with at the time in God’s hands . . . We don’t always know what the best thing to do is, so we commit it into the Lord’s hands.
We are also praying for ultimate healing, for the strengthening of resurrection hope, for victory over death and disease . . . The words, “as in heaven” become reminders that there is a greater life than this that we seek and hope for . . . This gives meaning to the last days of this mortal life and gives us the power to continue on to the next stage of life—into eternity.
Ask the Lord to show you the “things” that are bothering you, distracting you,
or taking time away from Him.
Ask God to show you the behaviors that you need to let go of,
so that God can work through you . . . Give it to God ! Let go!
Don’t forget . . . God’s will is what is best for you! Let Him “happen” in your life! . . . And keep praying . . . Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread . . .
Jesus is telling us that we should pray for our daily needs . . . God is our father and He wants to provide for us, His children . . . sometimes I think people have this picture that God just wants us to obey, but He also cares for us and about us . . . We can and should pose our needs to Him . . . it’s through God that our needs are met.
This is where we pray for provision, support, care, supply . . . “Bread” is a symbol for all of life’s needs . . . we may be good at praying for others but have a hard time praying for ourselves . . . Here Jesus gives us permission to pray for our personal needs
. . . to pray for yourself!
This includes spiritual bread—the bread of life . . . Jesus . . . The spiritual bread that the Lord provides is necessary for life, suited for everyone, must be eaten daily, and produces spiritual growth in those who believe . . . Those who “eat” spiritual bread will never be hungry . . . Those who “drink” the Living Water will never be thirsty . . . This faith is a genuine commitment to the miracle worker—Jesus, the Son of God . . . When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we accept the spiritual food that never spoils, and we accept eternal life that will never come to an end.
Don’t forget . . . God provides each of us with enough for today . . . No more—no less . . . So, pray for your daily needs, and your wants . . . Remember though . . . God has promised to provide for your needs, not your greeds . . . Prayer is not just a religious exercise, but a real way to get real help from our real God.
Praying for our daily bread reminds us that we need God’s constant presence in our lives . . . We need His grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ . . . We need the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins and to help us grow in faith . . . With God’s presence in our lives, we have the assurance that God has a plan and an eternal home for each of us . . . When you pray for daily bread, trust that God hears your requests.
Ask God for help you to see what areas of your “needs” are difficult to trust in God with.
What fears and worries are overwhelming? . . . Give it to God and let Him help.
Forgive us our debts (trespasses), as we forgive our debtors (trespassers) . . .
Forgive us . . . as we forgive . . . this is a “tough” part of the Lord’s Prayer for some, because it comes with expectations that every one of us struggles with at some pint of our lives.
All people sin against God . . . if we believe that we have not sinned, then we are only deceiving ourselves . . . Have you ever lied? Lost your temper? Insulted someone? . . . things we’ve all done . . . there is no escaping the fact that we don’t always do and say the right things . . . Jesus regularly called people to repent, which means turning away from sin . . . This is what we are doing in asking for forgiveness of our sins—we are turning away from the ways we have wronged God, people, and the world . . . and are aligning ourselves with the way of Christ . . . we’re admitting to having made mistakes and are making an effort to live according to God’s commands.
Right after the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible, Jesus says . . . “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 6:14-15)
Did you know these verses follow the prayer Jesus gave? . . . Did you know He told the disciples this? . . . that Jesus is telling us this? . . . Jesus is stressing the importance of forgiveness of others first before we come to God asking for our own forgiveness
. . . by choosing to replace resentment with forgiveness, we reflect God’s love and mercy in our actions which empowers us to walk more confidently toward God.
God takes our sins, past, present, and future, and dumps them in the sea
and puts up a sign that says, “No Fishing Allowed.”
(Corrie ten Boom)
When forgiving someone, remember that God forgave you first . . . We are called to follow Christ’s example of forgiveness—but that can be really hard to do . . . Think about it this way . . . We have each hurt God through our sin, but He is always willing to forgive . . . If God can forgive us for what we’ve done, can’t we extend that same forgiveness to someone else?
It may seem that someone or something in your life is impossible to forgive . . . And you may be right if you’re trying to do it on your own . . . Fortunately, we’re not alone . . . With God’s help, forgiveness is possible . . . That doesn’t mean it will happen
instantly and it doesn’t mean it will be easy, but if you sincerely ask God to help you forgive someone, He will give you the strength to do it.
Maybe it’s time to talk with God about these questions . . .
How easy do you find it to forgive people who have wronged you?
Do you hold back forgiveness? . . . Why?
Are there people in your life right now that you need to forgive?
What sins of yours do you need to remember that Jesus has
already forgiven, so you can let go?
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil . . .
So, temptation—wishing to do or have something that we know we should not do or have . . . or something that makes us want to do or have something that we know we shouldn’t.
Most of the time, temptation begins with something good but moves to the extreme . . . including eating too much, spending too much, laziness, venting on social media, overuse of electronics in general, gossiping, feeling jealous, lying or cheating, abusing alcohol . . . the list goes on and on . . . and what might tempt one person might not tempt another . . . The temptation is a matter of choice associated with our individual likes, dislikes and desires . . . I am not going to be tempted by sushi or sauerkraut, but fried shrimp or warm, fresh bread . . . you get the idea.
“And lead us not into temptation” . . . You know, Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy or would set us up for success . . . This line of the Lord’s Prayer tips us off to that . . . Temptation can cause us to sin and lead us away from God in ways that can get worse and worse (Snowball rolling down a hill affect) . . . God doesn’t lead us to sin . . . Let me repeat that, God does not lead us to sin . . . We can do that all on our own because of the free will our Creator has given us . . . What we are praying for is for God to lead us not into, but through and out of, temptation . . . Temptations and trials are part of life for everyone . . . we don’t desire them, but they happen . . . we pray this prayer so that God will guide us to safe paths.
“But deliver us from evil” . . . This part is a prayer to be delivered from all evil—not only from sin, but from its consequences . . . and from the power and persecution of Satan, in all its forms . . . When it comes to fighting sin, we need God’s help for power and protection . . . During times of messes, muddles, and predicaments, we must continually seek God . . . and this petition is also requesting protection, as we ask God to protect us from the devil’s grasp in all future circumstances . . . God will deliver you . . . He will deliver me . . . and He will give us the victory over evil and provide a place in His kingdom forever . . . as we pray, deliver us from evil, God is creating within us a strong, durable faith and a perseverance to overcome every test and trial that does come our way.
God guides us and protects us . . . through the gift of Christ and through the Holy Spirit . . . The light of Christ allows each of us to see our way through darkness, providing the means to find quiet confidence to know that ultimately everything is going to be alright . . . Think about how Christ’s light leads you out of the darkness—and brings the joy of living into your life . . . as you pray “Lead us not into temptation,” ask the Lord to purify your heart, help you see the Light, and to find the joy.
Ask God for protection to guard your life and the lives of others.
Pray against the evil of the world and the strength for you to resist it.
What temptations are you facing today? What lies are you holding onto?
Ask for God’s guidance, help, and deliverance.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, AMEN”
Just as the Lord’s Prayer begins with praise, we also end it with praise . . . In the first line of the Lord’s Prayer, we name our Father and praise His name . . . hallowed be Thy name . . . At the end, we praise Him again, stating that all things belong to God.
By declaring that the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to God, we recognize and honor that God is the creator of all things, ruler over all things, and that nothing happens without God’s knowledge . . . all glory and honor belong to God alone.
We also accept that God possesses the power to do everything we pray about in the preceding lines of the Lord’s Prayer . . . bring God’s kingdom to earth . . . provide for our daily needs . . . forgive our sins . . . deliver us from evil.
God wants a relationship with us . . . we need to talk with Him, and we need to listen to Him . . . because God is able to answer prayers and do in this world things we cannot . . . Then, “Now and forever. Amen.” . . . All of these things belong to God now . . . they always have and always will . . . Our Lord is faithful and constant . . . His characteristics have not and will not change . . . So, we can trust that the God who provided for Abraham and Isaac, the God who sent Jesus into the world and raised Him from the dead, and the God we are praying to today, is one and the same God, and will be the same for all time.
ILLUMINATION . . .
Pause for a moment and find a precious memory in your heart that helps you center yourself, calms you, and helps you shut out the world for a few moments . . . it might be a souvenir, a picture, or even a smell.
For me, it’s the Japanese glass floats sitting on my hearth . . . collected over 20 years ago, walking for hours with my mom and dad, beach combing on the Washington coast.
The glass balls were traditionally hand-blown to keep heavy commercial fishing nets afloat . . . Japan mass-produced them from the 1910’s to the 1970’s . . . Because the Japanese fishing industry used miles-long nets, thousands of floats would break free and drift on the Pacific currents . . . eventually storms would break them out of the currents, and they’d wash up on the beaches and shores of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii.
The memories that surface are of the winds, waves pounding, smell of salt water, and the cries of the sea gulls . . . the solitude of time spent with my parents wrapped in the awareness of the power of the ocean created by The Creator . . . and I breathe deep and sigh, feeling the calm re-enter my soul.
Find your memory deep within your soul, that sweet spot of awareness . . . and hold tight for a few moments . . . Turn your palms up, deep breath in then out, calm yourself, and tune out everything . . . everything but the beating of your heart and the whispers of the Holy Spirit . . . When you talk, pray . . . when you remember, praise God . . . and remember to ask the Lord to walk with you as you talk together . . . Don’t forget . . . God is always with you . . . You just have to let Him be who He is ~ God!
INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . .
To sing is to pray twice.
(St. Augustine)
I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too.
♪♬♪ Current . . . The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Kp6S5smnE&list=RDv4Kp6S5smnE&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Praise & Worship . . . What if the Lord’s Prayer was a Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1zaoNxw5lY&list=RDo1zaoNxw5lY&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Traditional . . . The Lord’s Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7e5BUjd4RE
INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . .
The Lord’s Prayer is talking, listening, opening up, loving, meditating, asking, magnifying, thinking,
changing, waiting, confessing, worshiping, exalting, and enjoying God.
I used to say the Lord’s Prayer and not always think about what I was saying . . . It had become a habit for me, like it can others, and I had gotten away from really “praying what I was saying, from my heart.” . . . it is easy to do . . . but now, each time I start The Prayer something clicks . . . might be praise, what God is providing today, it can be a kick in my brain about forgiveness, or re-examining a temptation or trail . . . it isn‘t the same every time, and that is good . . . because I hopefully am not taking God for granted.
God does wondrous things in the world and in your life and mine . . . Sometimes we have to slow down in order to see something amazing that He has created . . . Just like “thinking about” what you are saying when we speak the Lord’s Prayer . . . we need to slow down and see what amazing things He offers us and does for us.
Jesus is the unique being in human history who overwhelmingly determines what it means to live our lives in truth . . . He is the way and the truth and the life . . . and so we pray “Our Father . . .”
Heavenly Father, thank you for Your perfect will and how it guides our lives.
We pray that our will does not conflict with Your will but instead aligns with it.
We ask that You clearly shows us Your will for each of our lives so that we can follow You.
Amen.
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focused prayer, and encourage a
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