The Lord's Prayer

We all know the Lord's prayer, and I guess that for most of us it forms part of every service that we attend, either said or sung.

But there is a tendency to take it just as that 'A prayer' rather than as a way in which to pray, which is what I think Jesus had in mind when he was teaching his disciples. And when you look at it in this light it opens up the possibilities of our private and corporate prayer life.

Our prayers tend to concentrate on the things that concern us most 'Please God, do this...' 'Please God, look after.....' 'Please God, heal.....'

In fact, so often our prayers are just an explosion of words as we try hard not to let God get a word in edgeways! And Jesus has something to say about that 'And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans'

In fact, if we look at the Lord's prayer we find that the material, those things that affect us daily, are not be the prime focus of our thoughts.

Jesus suggests this form for our prayers

1) Start with God, reminding yourself who is the focus of our prayer. He is our heavenly Father, he knows our needs, he deserves our praise. What do we look for? We look for God's kingdom to spread throughout this world, the kingdom that we now see in part and look forward at some point to seeing in all its glory..

2) We know that God knows our needs, but he wants to know that what is on our hearts is in keeping with his will for our lives and the lives of those who are dear to us. We're not to ask for the ridiculous  - for riches, fame, glory! We come to him in humility, acknowledging that we are sinners in continual need of God's Grace.
God deals with our present needs (our daily bread) and our present condition (forgive us our debts)

3) And we look to the future, for our heavenly Father to keep us close to him both now and always. We are aware that without him we shall fail, but that in his loving arms we are secure (lead us not into temptation).


⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do 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,
 ¹⁰your kingdom come,
   your will be done
      on earth as it is in heaven.
 ¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
 ¹²Forgive us our debts,
      as we also have forgiven our debtors.
 ¹³And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.
(Matthew 6)