How God says we should pray:
In the Holy Bible, one of Jesus’s disciples asked Jesus “teach us (mankind) how to pray.” Jesus taught us the prayer called ‘The Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is in black bold text below but I’ve added some text before and after it for context:
“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
“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.”
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” – Holy Bible, Matthew 6:7-14
Speak to God Authentically—Avoid Thoughtless, Repetitive Prayers
As a very young boy, I memorized “The Lord’s Prayer.” I used to say it as fast as I could, without giving the words any thought. My prayers embodied the very definition of “vain repetition.”
As I spiritually matured, I wanted to be certain that my prayers aligned with the will of God. I came to understand that the prayer Jesus taught us was an outline. Not only is it OK to “enhance” the words of Jesus, but you should enhance them—making them deeply meaningful to you!
Now, “The Lord’s Prayer” can sometimes take me an hour to pray through. That may sound extreme, but the “rabbit trails” of enhancement are wonderful. Below is an outline of how I currently pray it. I share this because I feel many others may be saying the prayer from rote memorization, and I want to show how you can enhance it. Obviously, as typed, it doesn’t take an hour, but when I’m out for a long jog, I have plenty of time to pray it meaningfully, and those rabbit trails make it so.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Lord, Your name is like no other—there is none like You. Thank You for saving me and for adopting me into Your family. It is only by the shed blood of Your holy, blessed Son, Jesus, that I have this access to You. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me. And for Your love, patience, kindness, and generosity. Thank You for giving me Your favor—unearned, undeserved, and unmerited. And thank You for Your mercy—were it not for Your mercy, I would have been dead and in hell long ago. Lord, I owe all to You—you are my God, my Creator, the one who sustains and blesses me every moment of every day. Thank You for teaching me, for giving me wisdom and discernment. Lord, please help me to love You more and more every day.
*FYI, hallowed means: celebrated, venerated, and esteemed as holy everywhere, and receive from all people proper honor.
Your kingdom come
Lord, please use us, Your children, to help push back the kingdom of darkness. Let us illuminate the world with the truth of Your Word. Lord, I pray that the world would come to know You—that You would open their ears, and our ears, to the truth of Your Word; that You would soften the fallow ground of their hearts so that Your Word would take root. I pray that You would loosen their stiff necks so they turn to You, realizing they have been deceived by the kingdom of darkness. Lord, Your kingdom is beautiful—all else is temporary and not worth pursuing.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Lord, may You accomplish Your will. We don’t always understand what Your will is, but please help us to understand. We never want to be an impediment to Your will. There are many examples in the Old Testament of people presupposing Your will—help us not to do that, Lord. In heaven, Your will is carried out perfectly and without delay—help us to do the same here on earth. You alone can see the beginning from the end. Help us trust You and facilitate the fulfillment of Your will on earth, just as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
I am reminded that Jesus is the bread of life. We need to be reminded daily to feed on Jesus. Let our roots sink deep into Him, let us be nourished by Him. Our physical sustenance is important, but our greater need is spiritual nourishment. Lord, I remember how You gave the Israelites manna in the desert, and they grew tired of it. Let us never grow tired of You. I know Egypt was a picture of sin—even when You freed Israel from slavery, they longed for the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic from Egypt—they enjoyed their slavery to sin. Please don’t let us long for the things of this world.
And forgive us our sin as we forgive those who have sinned against us
Lord, I understand that Your blessed Son, Jesus, has paid my sin debt in full. But as we walk, our feet get dirty and need washing. Please forgive my multitude of sins—both those I can think of and those I cannot. Help me, Lord, not only to avoid sin but to do Your will—to be the fragrance of Christ. Help me love my fellow man more every day. Forgiving others is especially hard for me—help me to have the heart of Your Son, a heart that is forgiving, patient, and kind. Help me forgive everyone I may hold even the slightest grudge against, as grudges are not something Jesus wants in my life.
And lead us not into temptation
Lord, I so easily allow myself to wander into temptation. I place myself in situations where I know temptation will arise. Please, Lord, don’t let me do that. I am weak, and my priorities are often wrong. Help me seek You and You alone. Help me respond to temptations as Jesus did when He faced them.
And deliver us from evil
Lord, I remember how Satan wanted to sift Peter like wheat. I remember all that Job endured. Please don’t let Satan get his ugly hands on me, Lord. Protect me from him. Allow me to serve You and You alone, unimpeded by the one who opposes You.
We can be certain that we are praying properly when we follow the template of “The Lord’s Prayer.” Many religions around the world think they honor God by praying with vain repetition. With “The Lord’s Prayer,” we know exactly how to pray!
Related content: Where am I? and What is the Lord’s prayer and should we pray it?