The Lord’s Prayer, otherwise known as the “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4), is probably the most popular prayer in the Christian world. It is recited in the Catholic Church and it is used as the ultimate model of how to pray in many Protestant churches. Why this prayer is very popular and widely used can be attributed to the fact that it was Jesus himself who taught it to his disciples.
The prayer starts with the salutation, “Our Father who art in heaven.” By saying this, we boldly declare how we are related to the supreme being – the creator of everything (John 1:3). While it is true that before Jesus was born and lived among us, God has already introduced his fatherhood to Israel (see for example Jeremiah 31:9, Isaiah 64:8, and Malachi 2:10), but with the coming of our Savior, that relationship was broadened to include all believers, and was deepened to a more intimate level that is beyond the Creator-creature relationship. God has revealed himself to us as a loving Father who gave his only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we, who believe him, can become the adopted children of God (Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:4-5), and if children, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). In Christ, we become members of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19), with him as our brother and with God in heaven as our Father.
Following this, we say, “Hallowed be thy name.” In saying this, we recognize God’s sacredness and purity, and rightly so, for he alone is good (Mark 10:18). We praise him for his holiness and we desire that his name be glorified.
Next, we pray, “Thy kingdom come.” We profess God as king of heaven and earth, and of our own lives, in agreement with the psalmist who said that the Lord sits enthroned as king forever (Psalm 29:10). The kingdom of God is more than a physical place; it is a spiritual reality where God reigns supreme over all and in all. It is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17); it depends not on talk but on power (1 Corinthians 4:20). In saying, “Thy kingdom come,” we pray that God’s kingdom grows as more and more people repent from their sins, profess Jesus as Savior, and bear fruits of righteousness.
Closely related to this, we then say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We affirm the sovereignty of God and pray that our will be subjected to, and be aligned with, his good and perfect will. We submit to him whose thoughts are not our thoughts, and whose ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9), says the Lord.
It must be noted that the first three petitions in the Lord’s prayer are all about God himself – that his name be hallowed, that his kingdom come, and that his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That is how we should pray. Only after recognizing who God is, praising him, and desiring for Godly things to manifest on earth do we raise our personal requests.
First, we petition him, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We request God to give us what we need, for everything belongs to him (1 Chronicles 29:11). Our Father knows what we need even before we ask him (Matthew 6:8), and he is just too willing to give “good” gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11).
Second, we ask God, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” The effect of sin to the efficacy of our prayers cannot be underestimated. Sin serves as a barrier between God and us. He hides his face from the sinner so that he does not hear what he prays for (Isaiah 59:2).
Also included in this petition is a teaching of Jesus that is so important – that if we implore for his forgiveness, we, in turn, must also forgive our fellowmen. Why so? We can find the answer in Jesus’ own words, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14).
Third, we pray to God, “Do not lead us into temptation.” Very quickly, I will say that God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). To ask God to lead us not into temptation is to ask for his help to keep us away from severe temptations and trials that may compromise our faith in him.
This is very much related to the last petition, “Deliver us from evil.” We pray that God protects us in the face of the dark forces of evil that bring untold pain and suffering in this world. We pray that the devil who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) not succeed in his schemes, lures, and lies, and that we continue to stand firm in the power of God. This petition is an acceptance that by ourselves, we cannot not succeed in spiritual warfare. Only by the grace of God can we attain victory and growth as we tread the path of holiness. As the evangelist wrote, “Greater is he who is in us than he who is in this world” (1 John 4:4).
Next time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, may we take to heart the meaning of every word that we utter, and may our personal prayers be offered following the example that Jesus gave us.