Our scripture this morning is Matthew 6:9-15.
So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
As I’ve mentioned, I’m using a new to me translation, the New English Translation (NET), and sometimes familiar passages are just enough different that I actually have to read them rather than just remember what it says. This is a good thing, that I have to think first. It means I’m engaged, not just repeating.
Jesus gives His disciples a model prayer, an outline if you will. We repeat this model prayer as part of our worship, and while Christ’s words to us are important as a whole, saying it exactly as He did is not the point – if we are saying it exactly as He did it would be in Aramaic! Jesus wants us to be connected to God as His beloved children, and to talk to God as our Father.
It doesn’t mean we can’t pray this every day to remind us of our connection to God. However, He wants a closer relationship, one that allows us to give our individual concerns to Him. If we follow the example Jesus gave, our prayer time will become a rich part of our lives.
Loving Lord, we are grateful for the gift of Jesus and the way He taught us to love You and one another. We lift our needs for daily bread and forgiveness to You and ask it for all Your children. Amen.
