May 20, 2014 Whose Words?

Whose Words?

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 have said many, many times. Yes, we’ve all said “The Lord’s Prayer” in some form, whether in the King James language, the New International Version (above) language, or some other version. Some of you may have simply seen it in your church bulletin and didn’t know it was scripture. That was my experience for many years.

     Much, of course, has been written on the power and the brevity of Jesus’ model prayer. This follows Jesus’ teaching to keep prayers directed at God, pointing to His glory and power. Now I ask, “Is this your prayer, or is this Jesus, the Lord’s prayer?”

     In other words, do you pray this from your heart, taking it on as your own? Or are you saying the words Jesus prayed? Or are they words found in your church’s bulletin or media screen?

     I hope you pray this prayer from your heart, that it is (your first name)’s Prayer.  I pray you honor God’s holy name, you desire his kingdom to come in full on the earth, you submit to his will for your life, you understand all you need comes from God, you forgive others and you resist evil in God’s power. Jesus gave this prayer not as a mimic but as a model. Form and shape your prayers around the Lord’s prayerful words.

LIFE Link: Pray Jesus’ words from your heart.