3 Powerful Reasons to Pray The Lord's Prayer Each Day - The Crosswalk Devotional - November 14
3 Powerful Reasons to Pray The Lord's Prayer Each Day
By Megan Conner
Bible Reading
“Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” - Matt. 6:9-13 (NKJV)
Have you ever found yourself struggling to pray? We are told communing with God is the key to having a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Yet, at times, this concept of entreaty can trigger confusion or even doubt as it can appear as an intangible, one-sided conversation. Or, the recitation of memorized prayers can feel monotonous or even robotic – something we “force” ourselves to do. While many of us may wrestle with this spiritual discipline, the Lord continues to remind us, through the Word of God, of its immeasurable value and patiently prompts us through the Holy Spirit to draw closer to him through this conversation we call prayer.
Prayer truly is how we communicate and grow in relationship with the Lord. In our human relationships, intimacy of any kind can only be established through proximity and shared hearts through conversation. It is the same with God. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he taught them one of the most memorized passages in history, The Lord’s Prayer. Many of us may have recited it since our youth, but have we ever really meditated on the meaning behind the words we pronounce?
Sadly, this prayer has become so common, so renowned, that without intentional focus on the words recited, we miss the richness embedded in the simplicity. First, the verses of this supplication came directly from the mouth of Jesus. He, who was the forerunner of our faith; who demonstrated not only how to pray, but exemplified the Father through his very life. If Jesus and the Father are one (John 14:11), then what we say when offer this petition is from the Father himself.
Additionally, there is a generational legacy in The Lord’s Prayer. Believers across the entire world have been reciting this same poetic expression for over 2,000 years! When we appeal to our Heavenly Father with this specific supplication, we are not only joining with the heart of the Lord, we are unifying with millions and millions of other saints; those who have gone before us, and fellow pilgrims journeying towards Heaven, our eternal home, even now.
Finally, this lyrical language addresses every component of our spiritual relationship with the Creator of the universe. First, it acknowledges the deity and omnipotence of God and ascribes the worship due his name. It also acknowledges submission to his will and kingdom, in our lives and upon the earth. A promise of divine provision for every need is offered to all who call upon his promises. As we continue on, we are allowed the opportunity to receive forgiveness for our misgivings and extend that same mercy towards others who have harmed us. Then, we recognize our need for his supernatural protection against our own sinful temptations as well as the ploys of the enemy seeking to beguile and overcome us. Finally, as we began, we end – in worship to the Alpha and Omega, he “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8, ESV).
My greater understanding and appreciation of this timeless entreaty, has impacted me so much that I literally offer up The Lord’s Prayer every morning before I begin my day. Though these verses have a sense of formality, as stated earlier, prayer, in its most basic sense, is just a conversation. We are simply communicating with our Heavenly Father – thanking him for all he has done and laying before him our requests. The Lord encourages us to depend on him daily. Just as he provided manna from heaven each day to the Israelites in the desert (Ex. 16), so too will he provide for us exactly what we need for the day and the hour we are living. May the Lord give us all fresh eyes to appreciate the richness of these legendary verses and its timeless application in our lives today.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Recite The Lord’s Prayer, taking a moment to pause after each individual stanza. Allow yourself time to meditate on the separate components. Can you recognize the richness of these phrases? When combined together, can you see how this single prayer offers us everything we need to walk through whatever the day brings? Prayerfully consider adding The Lord’s Prayer into your daily quiet time with the Lord.
Further Reading:
Exodus 16
John 14
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/AntonioGuillem
Connect with Megan on her website www.meganjconner.com
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