Matthew 6 v 9 – 13
9 Pray then like this: “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 this day 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 evil. (ESV)
Everything in the Lord’s Prayer centres about the God of glory and His honour:
- Its Devotion
By coming to God through prayer, we are entering a time of profound devotion, believing in God’s provision, promises, power and Person. - Its Dependence
a. Confession – acknowledging the truth that you are totally dependent upon God.
If we are anything, it is because of the Grace of God.
b. Confidence – an expression of faith that God will take care of us. We are to walk with God day by day, trusting Him to provide in all our needs – especially to give us the Bread of Life.
c. Contentment – one of the greatest challenges, especially for us Westerners.
Examples of contentment: 1 Tim. 6:6-8; Heb. 13:5-6; Phil 4:10-13. - Its Depth
a. Communal – ‘Give us…’ – praying for the whole family of God and for every conceivable need in the lives of others (Phil. 2:4, Gal. 6:2, 1 Cor. 10:24).
b. Comprehensive – a humble request to God, expressing our day-by-day needs (Phil. 4:6-7).
God is not a tight-fisted, mean-spirited, heartless dictator who delights in watching His children struggle and crawl over glass to just get something good from Him. He’s a gracious, loving heavenly Father who delights in giving His best gifts to those who know Him. He already gave you His very best gift – the crown jewel of heaven, His only begotten Son!