Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Prayer can feel difficult when we think we need perfect words.

Jesus did not tell His disciples to impress God. He warned against praying for human attention and against empty repetition. Then He gave them a pattern:

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’”

Matthew 6:9, NIV

The Lord’s Prayer is not a formula for controlling God. It teaches us who God is, who we are, and what we truly need.

Our Father in heaven

Christians approach God as Father because Jesus has brought us near. Prayer begins with God’s character, not our performance.

Hallowed be Your name

Before asking God to support our plans, we ask that His name be honored. Prayer reorders our attention toward His holiness and glory.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done

We bring real desires to God, but we do not make our desires sovereign. We ask for His reign and submit ourselves to His will.

Give us today our daily bread

God welcomes ordinary dependence. Food, work, wisdom, strength, and every daily need may be brought before Him.

Forgive us our debts

Prayer includes confession. We do not excuse sin or hide it. We come through Christ, trusting His mercy and asking for help to extend forgiveness to others.

Lead us not into temptation

We need God’s protection and strength. Prayer does not replace watchfulness or obedience. It admits that we cannot resist sin faithfully in our own power.

You can begin here

Prayer includes worship, confession, thanksgiving, lament, petition, and intercession. Some prayers are long. Others are as short as, “Jesus, have mercy.”

We do not pray because the right arrangement of words guarantees our preferred result. We pray because God has invited His people to come through Christ.

A prayer

Father, teach us to pray. Honor Your name in our lives. Establish Your will in us. Provide what we need today. Forgive our sins through Christ and make us ready to forgive. Guard us in temptation and keep us faithful to Jesus. Amen.

Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.