Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4, Matthew 6:14-15
Teach Us to Pray
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He did not give them a lecture on prayer. He gave them a prayer. What we call the Lord's Prayer — found in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4 — is not merely a prayer to be recited. It is a model, a template, a school of prayer that covers every essential element of approaching God.
Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day 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
"Our Father in Heaven"
Prayer begins with relationship. We do not approach God as strangers or subjects approaching a distant king — we come as children to a Father. The word Jesus used — Abba — is warm and intimate. Yet "in heaven" reminds us that this Father is also sovereign, transcendent, and holy.
Starting prayer with "Our Father" reorients everything. It reminds us whose we are, how He regards us, and what kind of God we are speaking to.
"Hallowed Be Your Name"
Before any request is made, the first priority of prayer is the glory of God. To hallow God's name is to treat it as holy — to pray that God would be honoured, known, and revered in the world and in our own lives.
This is a radical reordering of priorities. Our first concern in prayer is not our needs — it is God's glory.
"Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done"
The second petition aligns our desires with God's purposes. We are praying for the advance of God's rule — in the world, in nations, in hearts, and in our own lives. "Your will be done" is an act of submission, surrendering our agenda to His.
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"
Only after God's glory and purposes come our own needs. And the request is remarkably modest — daily bread, not a year's supply. This petition cultivates daily dependence on God, returning to Him each day rather than accumulating enough to feel self-sufficient.
"Forgive Us Our Debts"
Confession is woven into the fabric of daily prayer. We need forgiveness regularly, not just once at conversion. And the addition "as we also have forgiven our debtors" ties our reception of forgiveness to our willingness to extend it — a connection Jesus emphasises immediately after the prayer (Matthew 6:14-15).
"Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil"
The prayer ends with dependence — acknowledging our vulnerability to temptation and our need for God's protection. We cannot resist the evil one in our own strength. Daily prayer for deliverance is not weakness; it is wisdom.