Day Three Matthew 6:9-13
9 ”Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.” – Matthew 6:9-13 (NLT)
Learn From the Word
Jesus has told His listeners to pray secretly and to pray sincerely, and now He tells us to pray simply. The example He gives here follows an outline consisting of six headings. First, we need to ask God to get our eyes focused on Him and all the ways He is set apart from His creation. Second, we're to pray with an eternal perspective and for God’s Kingdom to advance, not our own. Maintaining this perspective, we should next pray for His will to play out in our lives and the lives of others. We should want earth to look like heaven! Fourth, Jesus tells us to ask for a “daily-ness” mindset – not that we shouldn’t plan for the future, but that we would trust God to provide for our daily needs and live as if this were the day of His return. Fifth, we should confess our sins regularly to God and ask for a restoration of fellowship with Him, found through His forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others. Finally, we are to ask for God’s protection when faced with the temptation to act in a way that's out of character for His children. The last line of this prayer rightly recognizes the source of temptation, as God isn’t capable of it.
Put It Into Practice
Now that you have a plan of action to be more consistent in your prayer life, take some time to think about the content of your prayers. How does it compare to the example Jesus gives here? While you don’t need to repeat the prayer word for word, Jesus does say, “Pray like this.” Take some time to make it your own, following His format. For more on The Lord’s Prayer, listen to this podcast from Tim Mackie, founder of The Bible Project.
For Families with Kids at Home
Sometimes the most intimidating thing about prayer is knowing where to start. This is true of your kids as well! Luckily, Jesus gives us an example of what to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. Take time this week Break down the Lord’s Prayer for your kids and help them bring it down to their level!