Jesus' Model Prayer

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 11 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
He said to them, “When you pray, say: 

“‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’” (Luke 11:2-4, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

The Lord’s Prayer… It’s been prayed by Christians throughout the centuries, in churches across the world, and even by the occasional football team in the locker room as they gear up for a big game. But why? What is so special about this prayer? Of all the ways Jesus could have taught us to pray, why did He choose this way?

Towards the end of last year I was in a room with about 100 people from around the world who were gathered to worship before heading out to different places around the globe as missionaries. We began to say this ancient prayer that Jesus modeled and it was like I was understanding it for the first time… “OUR Father… give US each day OUR daily bread… forgive US OUR debts… lead US not into temptation but deliver US from evil…” I had always prayed this prayer from a place of personal need only, but as I was praying it with this group of friends (and many of them didn’t know where the money for next month’s living expenses was going to come from) it took on a whole new meaning. When I asked for the “daily bread”… for provision… I was asking for myself as well as others who were in need. When I asked to be delivered from evil and temptation, I did it not only with my own struggles in mind, but also that my friends will overcome their struggles and temptations. It’s not just a personal prayer, but a prayer of intercession on behalf of others.

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective,” and since we have been made righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus, I stood there that day praying with more fervor than ever, fueled by this crazy fact… these prayers I’m praying are actually making a difference in the real lives of people. Ahh! How crazy is that?! People’s lives can be dramatically changed because of my intercession on their behalf… The God of the universe actually responds to and cares about my needs and the needs of others. Wow…

POINT OF ACTION:

In Jesus’ model of how to pray, there is a built in assumption about us who are praying… that even as I approach the Giver of good gifts with a need, I would do it not only for myself, but for my brother and sister as well. Let’s take time this week to pray like Jesus taught, keeping in mind that our prayers actually move Heaven on behalf of others.

WHO AM I?

I am Hailey Bland and I spent the first three months of this year in Nepal where I learned that showers are optional, that there is always room for one more goat or human on the bus, that personal space is a myth, and that some of the most hospitable and generous people are those with the least.