“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6: 9-10 (NIV)
You’ve said it hundreds of times in church. Or maybe you’ve heard others pray the Lord’s Prayer. But what do each of the verses mean? What are we actually praying? The next three weeks we will break down this perfect prayer model and dissect the meaning behind Jesus’ words. Part 1 focuses on the first two verses of the Lord’s Prayer.
“Teach us to pray,” the disciples requested of Jesus. They had watched Jesus slip away from the crowds to pray and were motivated to adopt this holy habit. Jesus recited the Lord’s Prayer to them, a model for our prayers. We want to consider each element of this prayer for our own prayers.
Dr. David Jeremiah says this about the Lord’s Prayer in his book Prayer–The Great Adventure: “If we ever get to the place where we can honestly, with integrity and with creditability pray the Lord’s Prayer in all that it means, it will start the next great revival in America and around the world.”
Let’s examine Jesus’ words so we can honestly pray this prayer.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name
Prayer starts with praise! The purpose behind prayer is not to get all our requests granted but to converse with God Almighty. Think conversation versus recitation.
Jesus says “Our” Father to remind us we (followers of Jesus) live in community. The name “Father” may well up all kinds of emotions, good or bad. But God is our heavenly Father. A good Father. A perfect Father. Jesus wants us to hear the hidden question, “Who do you think I am?” Jesus responds: See God as your Father in heaven on a throne yet approachable.
When we hallow or honor His name, we expand our perception of Him. Our focus turns upward instead of inward. The world around us fades. Busyness and worries grow small. God looms large.
Pick a chapter from the book of Psalms to inspire your praise. Study Jesus in the Gospels. We will better understand Who we are praying to.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We are still looking up. When we honor God’s name, we will desire what He desires. Our thoughts will evolve into His thoughts.
Elizabeth Elliot said, “…prayer is the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth.” When praying “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are asking God to work in us and through us for His kingdom purposes.
Praying “Your will be done” is easier said (or prayed) than done. We see this tension when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. (See Luke 22:42.) To bring our will in line with His, will take much prayer, much studying the scriptures, and much listening to the Spirit.
This week, practice praising God. Sit at His feet and tell Him who He is to you or ask for a greater revelation of Him. Linger here before you move onto your requests. Next week, we will move on to Part Two of this series—petitions.