THE LORD'S PRAYER
Matthew 6:9-13 (New Living Translation)
9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth,
just as it is in heaven.
11 Give us our food for today,
12 and forgive us our sins,
just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
13 And don't let us yield to temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
| "HOW SHOULD I PRAY?" |
The prayer at Matthews 6:9-13 that Jesus gave to his disciples was evidently a model. Later prayers uttered by Jesus and his disciples did not rigidly stick to the same words or pattern.
The model prayer outlines things that we should pray for. In our prayers we should acknowledge the importance of God's name and express our desire to do our part in keeping that name sanctified or holy. Our prayers should also express our firm belief in God's Kingdom and its ability to free us from the effects of sin and death. It should be our sincere desire to see God's will take place on earth as it is in heaven.
The request for daily bread, forgiveness, protection against temptation and deliverance from the wicked one, expresses our desire to continue living a life approved by God.
Our prayers should be personal, sincere and reflect humility. Matters of deep concern to us such as our health, relationships, fears, anxieties and bad habits, should be mentioned. Our desire for increased spiritual knowledge and godly wisdom should be a frequent focus of our prayers.
There are others less fortunate who should also be included in our prayers. Our daily actions should be a reflection of what we pray for. |
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