31. How do I Pray?
Key Verses / Passages
This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
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Discussion
We have addressed prayer as a 2-way conversation with God that has significant benefits for our relationship with God. Typically, you might come across different Christians who give different ‘structures’ of how to pray, like by first saying ‘thank you’ to God for things that you are grateful for, ‘sorry’ for the wrongdoing you have done, and ask ‘please’ for certain things that are on your heart. While this method is practical and helpful, in the book of Matthew (6:9-13), Jesus talks to His disciples about how to pray. So, let’s unpack it:
• Our Father in Heaven – We address our prayers to our God who is in Heaven. Most people say, ‘Dear God’.
• Hallowed be thy name – We declare God with due honour, knowing that He is set apart from any other God as the Highest.
• Your kingdom come – We express God’s kingdom to live and rule in our hearts and lives and in the world.
• Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven – We submit ourselves to God’s ways, not our own, since He directs us how to live for Him.
• Give us today our daily bread – We rely on God’s provision every day.
• Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors – We ask forgiveness from God for our wrongdoings and declare that we will first forgive others so that we can be forgiven.
• Lead us not into temptation – We ask for God’s guidance and protection over our lives as He leads us away from sin and vulnerability.
• Deliver us from evil – We ask that God’s power work in us to remove ourselves from the evil in the world, since God is our defender and rescuer.
To boil this prayer down, when we talk (pray) to God, this teaching from Jesus tells us that we should:
Adore God– Give adoration and praise to God for who He is.
Confess to God – Ask God for forgiveness for our wrongdoing and forgive others for their wrongdoings towards us.
Thank God – Thank God for what He is doing in our lives and around us.
Supplicate to God (request to Him) – Declare our requests to Him and our dependence on Him as our Lord and Saviour.
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Reflection / Questions
• How do you pray?
• Do you ask for forgiveness? Do you forgive others?
• Why should we thank God when we pray?
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Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.