The Lord's Prayer or Yours?

Matthew 6:9-12 “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. 12 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.”
 
IF you’ve been around church very much, you recognize this scripture as “The Lord’s Prayer”, one you may have spoken many, many times. Yes, it is likely we’ve all said “The Lord’s Prayer” in some form, whether in the King James language using “Thy” instead of “your” and to close with Matthew 6:13b “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” The above is the New International Version language, or you may use some other version. Some of you may have simply seen it in your church bulletin or on the media screen and didn’t know it was Scripture. That was my experience until my teenage years when a good pastor taught the Bible.
   Much, of course, has been written on the power, the petitions and the brevity of Jesus’ model prayer. As we have been reading Jesus’ lessons on the right attitude of prayer, he now gives us a framework to speak with God. Now I ask, “Is this the Lord’s prayer or yours?”
   In other words, are you simply repeating the words Jesus prayed? Or do you pray this from your heart, taking these words on as your own? When it’s time to pray it in church do politely say it, or do you pray it?
   I hope you pray this prayer from your heart as (your first name)’s Prayer. Some have said, and I believe it is correct, it is more appropriate to label this, “The Disciple’s Prayer”. After all, Jesus said, “This, then, is how you should pray.”  Moving from his lesson on the condemnation of the Jews’ public prayers, Jesus teaches that prayer should honor God’s holy name. Your primary desire must be for God’s Kingdom to come in full on the earth. Prayer must be a confession you submit to his will for your life as you understand all you need comes from God. You are to pray with humility to seek forgiveness and confession of your sins. You want God’s power, also, to resist evil, especially the Devil himself.
   Remember, Jesus is preaching. He did not teach this prayer to be spoken as a quotation of his words. He taught it to be a framework to honor God, praise him for his provision, confess our sins, forgive others and resist the devil. This is to help us express our heart’s desire to acknowledge our Holy God. Be Jesus’ disciple who forms and shapes your prayers around the Lord’s prayerful words. Honor God. Submit to his will. Forgive and be forgiven. Resist sin. Declare God’s promise to come.
 
Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I keep your name holy on my heart, tongue and mind. I pray your kingdom will quickly and fully come on the earth. Grant your will is done in my life, your church and throughout the world as it is done in heaven. May we have food to eat today and your food to eat forever. Forgive my sins, Lord, and open my heart to forgive those who have sinned against me. Keep me from temptation. Guard me against Satan’s evil. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.