“Teach us to pray…”
The disciples of Jesus asked Him to teach them to pray, and He taught this prayer which is so familiar to many, memorized by many…has it become a ‘rote’ prayer, said in a mindless way, said without thinking, said in a hurried manner to get through it?
As you read the following, you may want to say it as your prayer to the living God (even saying it aloud to God as if you are in His presence).
[The phrases in quotes will be from the NASB Matthew 6:9-13 with paraphrase in parentheses. This prayer is for the followers of Jesus Christ. You can become a follower by believing that He died for your sins and gives you His life by faith in what He has done on the cross and by His resurrection from the dead…for you!]
“Our Father who is in heaven” (Father! God Himself, our Father.)
“Hallowed be Your name” (Your very name is holy because You are holy.)
“Your kingdom come” (Your kingdom is Your realm and I have a place there!)
“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (I pray that Your thoughts, Your ways, Your will…may be active in my thinking, my actions and my will, right here, right now!)
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Father, I ask You to give me what I truly need this day and help me to let go of what are my ‘wants’)
“And forgive us our debts” (Forgive me what I owe You and cannot pay back to You – my sins against You; forgive me because Jesus has saved me from my sins, He is my Savior.)
“as we also forgive our debtors” (Help me this day to forgive people – that person – who owes me, whether real or imagined on my part.)
“And do not lead us into temptation” (You never tempt anyone at anytime time – help me to trust You to help me overcome temptation and not give into it.)
“but deliver us from evil” (Only by Your power Father, only by Your strength can Satan and sin be overcome. Please deliver me from the power of Satan and sin this day.)
“For Yours is the kingdom” (I am Your child, a child of the King in Your realm.)
For Yours is “the power” (Father You are Omnipotent, You are All-powerful)
For Yours is “the glory” (You, Father, are to receive and be given all the credit.)
“forever.” (Today and into the infinity of eternity…forever and ever and ever!)
(NASB) Romans 11:36 “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
‘For it is from You, Father that I receive all things – all blessings, all my daily needs.
For it is through You – I am given life through faith in Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
For it is to You – all accolades, all praise, all gratefulness and all giving of thanks.
From You, through You and to You are all things.
You are, indeed, All-powerful, All-seeing, Everywhere present.
My Father, open my eyes, my heart and mind to Your reality this day.
In the name of Your Risen Son, my Savior ~ Amen, Amen and Amen!’