Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. This is a great way to start your day, an amazing prayer to consider before you approach God with your needs.
Our encouragement is to think about each line as you pray it, think through the significance of what it means and the implications of what the words are saying.
E.g. “Our Father in heaven”, think through how God is not a distant spiritual being, but wants to be known as our “Father”, He has our best interest in mind and wants to restore our welfare to us as His children. He has wisdom to share with us, to lead us into a life of true fullness.
Read and pray through this amazing portion of scripture.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
