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More Hope for Our Time – Teaching Us How to Live: When You Pray

By: Steve Negley

Posted: September 28, 2020

Category: Daily Devotional

A Reflection on Matthew 6:7-15

In the part of the Sermon on the Mount that we find recorded in Matthew’s gospel chapter 6, verses 7-14, we have delivered to us what we’ve come to know as The Lord’s Prayer. Disciples young and old pray this prayer regularly.

This little chunk of scripture (Matthew 6:7-15) teaches us a lot about the art of praying. First, Jesus simply assumes that we are praying people. “When you are praying”, Jesus tells his followers, not “If you pray.” And then in the prayer itself, he gives us a pattern for our regular conversations with God.

When you pray, say:

 Father (Address God on a personal basis, just as God calls you personally.)
 Your name is holy. (Remember to adore the wonderful nature of our God.)
 May your kingdom come/ your will be done. (Our wishes need to be in line with God’s will.)
 Give us our daily bread. (We depend on God to provide our daily needs.)
 Forgive us as we forgive. (We need to accept grace and offer grace to others.)

 Rescue us from evil. (Again, we depend on God.)

Jesus invites us to and assumes that we will pray. We get to talk with God! For young and old, the pattern for prayer is the same. Let’s learn and practice that lesson as we are praying people.

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.