Probably the most popular prayer in Christianity, the Lord’s Prayer, also known as “Our Father” or “Pater Noster” contains all the elements
Found in two books of the bible, my favorite version of the Lord’s Prayer was written by the apostle Matthew as Jesus spoke to the multitudes. The New King James version reads:
- “
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
- “
- (Matthew 6:9-13)
Spoke by Jesus during the sermon on the mount to expose hypocrisy hidden in prayer, the Lord’s Prayer was used as a guideline for prayer rather than a prayer to be memorized and recited without individuality. Described as the “model prayer” by scholars, the Lord’s Prayer reflects a structure to be used by those who pray out of reverence and honor to God.
The Lord’s Prayer is divided in six requests. The first three are targeted at the fulfillment of God’s will while the second three involve the needs of His children until God’s kingdom arrives.
Hallowed be your name is an imperative sentence to be interpreted as “May your name be hallowed.” In tune with Ezekiel’s prophecy (Ezekiel 36:25-32) which exposed the profane use of God’s name throughout the holy land, here Jesus speaks of the time when God’s people will honor God’s name. In such, prayers offered to God should include praise toward God’s name.
Your kingdom come, as prophesied in numerous books of the bible will occur after the rapture and the tribulation as Jesus reigns over all the earth. Praying for the Lord’s kingdom to come offers acknowledgement of prophecy found throughout the word of God.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven shows obedience to God and faith in His promise of eternal life. Daily devotion through prayer is not only pleasing to God, it is an essential part of a believer’s spiritual growth. Praying for God’s will to be done shows trust in the Lord and acceptance of His plan for our lives.
Give us this day our daily bread refers to both physical and spiritual food. Just as God provided manna for the people of Israel in the wilderness, He promises to provide for us. Never the less, asking for physical and spiritual food maintains an acceptable level of humility upon all those who pray to God accordingly.
And forgive us our debts, our sins, as we forgive our debtors, as we are commanded to forgive those who sin against us and wrong us. Forgiveness is a choice we are called to embrace, and an important part of prayer to God.
And do not lead us to temptation, as temptation too often leads to sin, pray that God will provide inspiration and strength that will steer us away from temptation. The best way to resist temptation is to stay away from the works of satan.
But deliver us from the evil one, since only God and the Holy Spirit can truly deliver us from the enemy we should be certain to pray for God’s wisdom that will allow us to identify and free ourselves of evil.
Through prayer and daily devotion, our faith in Jesus Christ and God is renewed and strengthened. I invite you to read through the sixth book of Matthew this week for guidance, strength and inspiration that will allow you to fulfill God’s mission for your life as you immerse yourself in His word, in His will. Let’s pray.
Father God;
We thank you for all that surrounds us, for your love.
We gladly accept your invitation to your kingdom
And pray for your strength so that we may prepare accordingly.
Lord we thank you for your gift of life in this world
And for giving us the opportunity to bless others around us,
Using skills and talents you gave us through the years.
God, we pray for your joyful peace in the days ahead
As we rejoice with you and those who believe in you,
That many be awakened to your eternal bright light
And that they in turn spread your love to one and all.
Lord, we thank you for your forgiveness in our sins
And ask you to give us strength to obey your word
And attain wisdom from the knowledge of others before us.
Father bless us with your love and your magnificence
That we may enjoy your creations all around us
And inspire others to do the same each day.
Praise God,
Amen!
This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com
