Todays devotion is written by Mike Loveridge
Over the next few weeks we are going to work our way through the Lord’s Prayer, taking it slowly, line by line. We all know the Lord’s Prayer. It's a short, simple prayer. Only 72 words in total. You probably learnt it by heart as a kid. It rolls off the tongue with ease. I remember having to say it before lunch every day at my primary school.
The problem is that when you become this familiar with something there is a real danger that it’s meaning and significance are lost. But these 72 words are packed with meaning. Jesus has so much to teach us with them. So, lets slow down and go back to the drawing board. Let’s come and sit at the feet of the greatest Teacher and learn how (or be reminded how) to pray to our Father God.
Where do we find the Lord’s prayer?
It is in two of the four gospels, Matthew 6:5-13 and Luke 11:1-4
Why is it there?
Luke helps us to answer this question. Jesus is teaching the disciples how to pray, at the request of one of his disciples. The disciples were no strangers to prayer. They would have grown up going to the synagogue and they would have seen Jesus pray numerous times by now. But, there must have been something different, something deeper and more connected to God, about the way Jesus prayed. Perhaps the disciples wanted to emulate that?
We also see in Matthew that one of the reasons Jesus is teaching them about prayer is to warn them against praying like the Pharisees. The Pharisees would publicly pray big, eloquent, impressive prayers so that others would notice them praying and look up to them. But that’s not how prayer should be! When we pray, we are primarily speaking to God not to those around us.
Structure of the Lord’s prayer
I think it’s safe to say that when Jesus taught the disciples this prayer, he didn’t intend if to become an easy-to-recite daily memory verse. Instead, he was giving his disciples a template for prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is not the only way to pray but it teaches us the key components of prayer. The Lord’s prayer begins like any prayer, by acknowledging who we are praying to. It then focusses in on God and worships him, bringing our attention, praise and will back in line with our heavenly Father’s. Once we are then in the right place with God it then moves on to asking God for what we need. It wraps up by acknowledging that all we have asked is for His glory.
A summary of the structure is:
Introduction and Greeting (“Our Father, who art in heaven”)
Petitions for God:
1) God’s glory – praise and adoration for who He is(“Hallowed be thy name”)
2) God’s kingdom (“Thy kingdom come”)
3) God’s will (“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”)
Petitions for Us:
1) Our needs (“Give us this day, our daily bread”)
2) Our forgiveness (“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”)
3) Our protection (“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”)
Closing and Doxology (“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”)
I wonder how much this structure reflects your own prayers? It may not be that you cover every section every day, but over time do you prioritise time to all the areas that Jesus includes? Why not reflect on your prayer life and ask God to show you how you can grow.
Song for today:
This song reminds us of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. It's a great declaration of what Jesus did for us upon the cross. You can listen and sing along here.
Jesus, friend of sinners
Loved me ’ere I knew Him
Drew me with His cords of love
Tightly bound me to Him
’Round my heart still closely twined
The ties that none can sever
For I am His and He is mine
Forever and forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
A crown of thorns You wore for me
Bruised for my transgressions
Pierced for my iniquities
The wrath of God that I deserved
Was poured out on the Innocent
He took my place, my soul to save
Now I am His forever
Jesus, friend of sinners
I love to tell the story
Redeeming love has been my theme
And will be when in glory
Not death nor life nor anything
Can ever separate me
O love that will not let me go
Yes, I am His forever
Prayer for today:
Why not use the Lord’s Prayer as your prayer for today? But don’t just let it roll off your tongue, take time to think about the words as you pray them and ask God to show you afresh the meaning of this great 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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
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