More than two thousand years ago, Jesus was recorded to have given these teachings: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites… when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 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 the evil one.” (*Matt. 6:5, 7-13) Jesus taught his disciple and followers this prayer to let them know that there was power in his word.
Today, this prayer Jesus gave to his followers – and to us – is known as the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. There are lots of good things in this prayer. One, it acknowledges God as our Father who resides in His heavenly kingdom. Two, it honors God with the phrase “hallowed be your name.” God’s name is the holiest of holy. He, in fact, is holy. Three, it places the will of God above everything thing else. This means that God’s desires must be reflected here on earth. It is the way to love God: to desire what He desires. God’s will for us is good for us since God is good all the time. Four, it is a powerful testimony that God, indeed, is with us as His will “be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Five, the prayer asks God to provide us with the things essential for our physical and spiritual needs as well as for all our other needs. “Give us today our daily bread,” Jesus said. This means not only food, clothes and shelter but also Christ’s teaching and God’s love and mercy as we live day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Six, the prayer teaches us that in order to receive mercy from God, one must be merciful to others. Forgive so that God will forgive you. Thus, the prayer not only instruct us how to honor and love God, but it also tells us how to love our neighbor. Seven – and hopefully not the last – the prayer tells us that life on earth will have it trials and tribulations. It instructs us to ask God to lead us, to guide our steps so that we will not go astray – to places where there are temptations to sin. It reminds us to seek God’s help when the going gets tough.
This is the Lord’s prayer, and in this prayer are God’s wisdom and love for daily living. There is power in the Word.
Note: The reference for the passages, Matthew 6:5, 7-13, is NIVUK 2011.
