Prayer

This past week in church we were challenged to pray scripture. It’s a beautiful concept and I thought it would help me stay focused and draw me closer to God. It also sounded so easy: God gives us his Word, which is beneficial for so many things, and we just pray it back to him. Well, trying this out was not as simple as I anticipated. It did help me dive into the Bible more thoroughly and intentionally, but I still struggled with trying to pray through the passages. 

So, I asked Jesus how I should pray and googled the Lord’s Prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us how we should pray. The Lord’s Prayer is simple and short. I think this is where I should begin on my journey to learn how to pray scripture. I will build from this foundation. Maybe this is also a good place for you to begin anew with your prayers.

“Our Father in heaven” Our Father. Your father, my father, Jesus’ father. We are a family who belong in a different realm— heaven. Father, the creator of all that is, directs our hearts and thoughts to heavenly, eternal matters.

“Hallowed be your name,” Bring us into fellowship with the spiritual beings of heaven and our Christian family as we worship and thank you for all that you are, Lord.  Holy, pure, light, life, powerful, compassionate, trustworthy.

“Your kingdom come” May our hearts crown you King. We petition Christ to return to earth to extend your kingdom. May he right every wrong, heal every sickness, restore those who despair, reign in peace and lead us in love and righteousness.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Draw us closer to you and increase our faith so that we seek your ways and your solutions, rather than trying to convince you to accomplish things our way. Restore earth to Eden. Our way has failed. Our plans, our institutions, our dreams need to submit and be transformed to your will.

“Give us today our daily bread.” Mold our desires and build our economies to sustain us and others day by day. Grow our faith day by day. Establish our priorities. May we desire to pray and commune with you each and every day. Allow us to experience and share your wealth of boundless grace every day. Draw us back to you tomorrow for tomorrow’s provision. Refill our hearts with your goodness each day. 

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Father, encourage us and guide us to forgive as you forgive. May we live up to your standard, for our sake and for the benefit of those we are in a relationship with.

“And lead us not into temptation” Thank you for not leading us or tricking us into temptation, because we go there way too often on our own!

“But, deliver us from the evil one.” With gratitude, we praise you for each and every time you have delivered us and others from Satan and his demons. We know that we surely would be doomed to failure if Christ had not conquered sin and death for us. Guard our hearts and plant our steps on the path that leads to your kingdom. Protect our families, friends and co-workers.

My Bible has a footnote that says some later manuscripts have added in this closing to the Lord’s Prayer. I like it, and so I’m including it here myself.

“For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.”