Friday 17th May
Read Matthew 6:9-13
“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.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And 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.” (NIVUK)
Jesus criticised the Pharisees for praying hypocritically – their focus was only and always on themselves. They were self-centred. Jesus then criticised the pagans for their unthinking babbling, expecting that their needs would be met because of their many words. We should expect His model prayer to address both shortcomings.
The first half of the prayer is a deliberate focus on the supremacy of God. God is to be first in your thoughts and actions. His name, not ours, is to be lifted up. He is to be honoured above all things. His will, and not our own, done. It is the perfect counterpoint to prayers driven by self-centred hypocrisy.
The second half of the prayer addresses, succinctly, everything we need for life. We need food, forgiveness and freedom from evil. This is not gained through mindless babbling, but through straightforward request – after all, God knows what we need, and Jesus simply tells us to ask!
Which approach to prayer do we most need to hear now?
