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.’
A few weeks ago when I went through this (I’m behind on blogging and trying to catch up), I read this with new eyes and a new spirit. It deeply impacted me. I wish I would have wrote then. But what a powerful way to start our day.
“Our Father.”
We typically in reality pray, “my Father.” We forget the “our” part of it. God is the Father of all humanity, and he is the Father of us who believe and trust in Him. We are not alone. We are together in Him.
“Holy is your name”
He is holy and thank God for that. Many of the “gods” of this earth are creations in man’s image, and there leaves much to be desired. It’s amazing that God is so much more wonderful and greater than ourselves.
“Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
I pray that often. And replace “earth” with the town/city/state/country I am in. It’s a prayer even more on my heart in recent years. It seems like righteousness and justice are being cast aside like disposable facial tissues. And yet righteousness and justice is the foundation of his throne. Can you imagine if there was righteousness and justice at greater levels upon the earth?
“Give us today our daily bread.”
This is a prayer about our actual physical needs. He helps us in the dailies of our life. Just day by day we need him.
“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
This is a prayer for our relational needs. As we have been forgiven, let us forgive. And let us be lovers of one another.
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.“
This prayer is for our spiritual needs. That we would maintain an upright and holy life to the Lord, pleasing to Him.
So there is this unity between heaven and earth, that He is our Father who loves us and he is holy and Almighty. But He is also a God who cares for our physical, relational and spiritual needs.
Although one thing is going to be emphasized a second time in this prayer. And it’s to me one of the Top 5 most difficult verses in the Bible.