Tag: Matthew 6:9-15
Week 27–Day 1–Pray Like This!
Scripture reading for June 29: Matthew 6:9-15 “Pray then like this: “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 also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
As we close out this twenty-six week devotional for first responders, I want to encourage each of my brothers and sisters to develop a prayer connection with God the Father using the pattern taught by Jesus Christ to help connect with God effectively. This prayer has often been neglected or mis-used. Some memorize it and say it repetitively with little thought. For others, myself included, it is a wonderful help in keeping my focus on God’s holiness and grace and humbly presenting my personal needs. It was taught by Jesus as a pattern for corporate prayer among believers.
This prayer begins with relationship and our identity in Christ as God’s children. “Our Father” is recognition that all of us are created in God’s image and He is truly our Father in heaven. Our Father is Holy: complete and whole in Himself. He is the King of the heavenly kingdom and His will is to be our desire and focus on earth as it is in heaven. He is honored when we ask Him for physical, emotional and spiritual needs. We find forgiveness of sin is one of our deepest needs and we are to ask Him for forgiveness. Reinforcing this is the admonition that if we refuse to forgive others, God will not forgive us. Ending this short pattern is the humble request to deliver us from evil or the evil one. By faith, we pray, believing that God hears us and answers His children.
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, holy is Your Name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, power, and glory forever! Amen.