WATCHWORD:
5 “And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who pretend piety by praying publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. Truly, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, all alone, and shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly, and your Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you. 7-8 “Don’t recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 “Pray along these lines: ‘Our Father in heaven, we honor your holy name. 10 We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. 11 Give us our food again today, as usual, 12 and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Matthew 6:5-12
Meditation:
Our Father Who Art… Another Perspective
After yesterday’s meditation on the Lord’s prayer, here’s another view, where Jesus is responding to the disciples request for a lesson on praying. First, I want to call your attention to verse 7 where Jesus is telling His disciples, and us, “Don’t recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do”
Uh oh. Is that what the heathens do? Well he couldn’t possibly mean our repeated use of the Lord’s Prayer in service after service after service. Could He? After all it’s such an important part of our worship that it seems to say it all. No, he couldn’t mean us. I know for a fact that we are not heathen!
Recently I tuned into Pastor Robert Morris who was speaking on this very topic. He said that the Lord’s Prayer has seven important parts, which, coincidentally, all start with the letter P. Here is my version of Morris’ lesson:
The Purpose of Prayer – Morris tells us we are in a battle with sin throughout our lives and we need prayer as a means for us to stand up against the power of both our own nature, and the influences that press on us daily.
The Person of Prayer – This is an important part of the prayer. Approaching the Father was such a foreign revelation at the time, and Jesus opens that door for us. When we pray, we are talking to God, our Heavenly Father, who loves us and heals us.
The Petition of Prayer – This is where the “Ask” is given to us as grace. Actually, the Lord’s Prayer begins and ends with praise and everything in between is petition. Our communion with God depends on our submission to God’s will and His dominion in our lives. He wants us to ask for everything we need to follow His will.
The Provision of Prayer – For us to live following God’s will in this world of ours, we need spiritual strength, spiritual provision. God has provided that and He want us to ask Him daily for both natural and spiritual provisions.
The Pardon of Prayer – In order for us to forgive others requires us to confess our own sins and freely receive God’s grace. It is through God’s grace that we are able to daily forgive others. It is our extending God’s gift to us, to others.
The Protection of Prayer – We all experience trials and temptations. God wants us to pray every day for protection from sin and victory over the temptations that come our way.
The Power of Prayer – There is power in prayer, and that power comes to you and me through our conversation with the Almighty, and He want us to prayer every day for his kingdom to be advanced for His glory.
The Lord’s Prayer, short, concise and to the point. Yes, Jesus gives us this timeless prayer to strengthen our faith and belief in Him. It is a prayer that contains the most important things we need to know and believe. I guess the point is that we pray the Lord’s Prayer with serious intent, that we understand it, and we believe all that it says. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
It is not a carol of joy or glee, but a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core…I know why the caged bird sings! Paul Laurence Dunbar
Closing Prayer:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
