One final look at the Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:9-13 New International Version (NKJV)
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,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’ (some manuscripts offer the addition of the following) For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Commentary: Yesterday we examined the Lord’s prayer as found in Gospel of Luke. However, the Lord’s prayer also appears in the Book of Matthew 6:9-13 as seen above. Many have memorized the Lord’s prayer. It is a short prayer that can be prayed in quick fashion. For some, the words and their meaning and the concepts of the prayer can lose their impact with repetition. The words can become wallpaper or background.
To be sure, a study of the prayer can re-acquaint us with the simple yet important underlying concepts of the prayer. By praying this prayer, we acknowledge that believing Christians share a common Heavenly Father, and that His name should be honored. That it is important to seek His will, that His will trumps ours, and that we should rely on His provision for our needs. And finally, because we continue to need His forgiveness, we should forgive others.
Lord, thank you for such a elegant and simple prayer that can serve as daily encouragement. Not words that are rote memorized and rolled out in rapid fashion. Rather, a template or guide to follow to communicate with you, honor you, and further our relationship with you.
For example: Our Father who art in Heaven, a perfect, gracious Heavenly Father, I seek your will and will try to fashion mine with yours. I look to you for my needs each day. And because I need your forgiveness, I will strive to forgive others. I seek your strength to resist temptation, Amen.