Pattern for Prayer
From David Jeremiah’s Book: Basics of the Christian Faith
“In verses 9-10, (Mateo 6) of Jesus’ model prayer, God has all the glory and the power, and in verses 11-13, we have all the humility and the need. That is the mindset of Jesus’ model prayer – – – seeing who we are in relation to who God is. It begins with Praise: “Hallowed be Your name.” Then it moves to Priorities: “Your kingdom . . . Your will be done.” Next to Petitions: “Give us . . . Forgive us . . . do not lead us . . . deliver us . . .” And it ends with a Promise: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.”
Many of us have prayed the Lord’s Prayer all our life. But can it be our prayer if we are not living it out personally?
- Can we pray “our” if our faith has no room for the needs of others?
- Can we pray “Father” if we don’t live like His child?
- Can we pray “Father in heaven” if our lives are centered on earth?
- Can we pray “Hallowed be Your name” if He is not holy to us?
- Can we pray “Thy kingdom come” if we insist on our sovereignty instead of His?
- Can we pray “Thy will be done” if we live a disobedient life?
- Can we pray “On earth as it is in heaven” if we don’t give ourselves to His service?
- Can we pray “Give us this day our daily bread” without working hard and with integrity at the jobs He gives us and without sharing generously with others?
- Can we pray “Forgive us” when we don’t forgive others?
- Can we pray “Lead us not into temptation” when we don’t flee tempting situations?
- Can we pray “Deliver us from evil” if we don’t wear the spiritual armor He provides?
- Can we pray “Yours is the kingdom” if we don’t live in obedience to the King?
- Can we pray “Yours is the power” if we live in fear?
- Can we pray “Yours is the glory” if we see our own glory first?
- Can we pray “Forever” if we live with anxiety about the future?
- Can we pray “Amen” if we don’t really mean what we have prayed?