By Melissa McLaughlin
Close Communication
Who is your closest friend? Our closest friends are typically those with whom we share our deepest aches, goofiest moments and most candid thoughts. We rest in their love for us knowing they will enjoy the high points, cry with us in the low points and gently but honestly correct us when we are wrong. A close relationship requires ongoing, heartfelt communication, both listening and talking.
Like any human relationship, our relationship with God requires ongoing, heartfelt communication, both listening and talking. When we read the Bible, we are listening to God’s Word and hearing God’s heart for His people and His will for us today. But it’s not really a relationship if we only listen and do not share our heart with God.
Prayer is Communication With God
Prayer is our communication, conversation, connection and communion with God. That’s why prayer is so important. Imagine this… God inclines His ear to hear us! We could never communicate freely with the president of a large company or the president of a country. But God, the Creator of the universe, is interested in what we have to say! No appointment needed.
We should treasure this most precious gift, the opportunity to pray, or talk with God, the Maker and Savior of our souls.
How Should We Pray? How Did Jesus Pray?
But how should we address One so great and so far beyond us? How should we pray to God?
Jesus’ disciples asked the very same question. And it is a good one. Luke 11:1 – One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
The Lord’s Prayer – The Model Prayer
The prayer Jesus taught His disciples has become known as The Lord’s Prayer or The Our Father. However, many now refer to this passage as The Model Prayer for Jesus was not teaching His followers to recite this prayer, but to pray like this, or in this manner. Many people memorize The Lord’s Prayer and there is nothing wrong with reciting it. However, it is important to pray these words from the heart and take in the full meaning as we say the words. Let’s contemplate Jesus’ Model Prayer more deeply.
In the account recorded in Matthew 6, Jesus opened His teaching on The Model Prayer by reminding people not to pray in order to make themselves look good outwardly with lengthy prayers that impress others, for God looks upon the heart. Jesus invited people to pray quietly, in secret places, alone before God.
Six Elements of The Model Prayer
Jesus continued with The Lord’s Prayer or The Model Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
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.
What can we learn from Jesus’ Model Prayer?
Here are 6 areas we can include in our prayers, to mirror Jesus’ prayer.
1.Praise and Adoration – Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
Jesus opened His prayer by addressing God as both – intimate and transcendent. God is our Abba Father, our Daddy who loves us more completely and cares for us more tenderly than any earthly father ever could. And yet, God is in heaven. God is above us and beyond us. He is like no other. He alone is God. Consequently, we revere His name. He is the loving Father who sent His only Son to rescue us from hell and He is also the God who will judge the living and the dead on the last day.
In this first line alone, Jesus taught three profound truths:
1.As we begin to pray, we address God and draw near Him as our loving Abba Father.
2.We remember God is also the Great I AM.
3.Let us bow down to revere His Holy Name.
2.Surrender – Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Following the opening sentence, Jesus made a call to surrender. This is not tossing out a lighthearted cliché, “Have it your way, God.” This is a total abandoning of our earthly desires, laying them down for the Lord’s will and the Lord’s kingdom. These words foreshadow Jesus’ famous prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before He hung on the cross. And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
When we pray these words, let us pray with a vision of Jesus, prostrate on His face, weeping, knowing He was headed for the crucifixion. “Not my will, but yours be done, Father.” As we say this sentence, we commit to take up our own cross to follow Jesus.
3.Requests/ Dependence on God – Give us this day our daily bread.
Next we lay our requests before God. Though God knows our every thought and our deepest needs, He invites us to come to Him and lay them down. In doing so, we are reminded that everything we have comes from God. We are acknowledging our daily dependence on God for every little thing. Some people refer to these as prayer requests, petitions or supplications. Notice, Jesus did not pray for a larger house, a powerful horse or other earthly luxuries. Jesus prayed for the most basic need, daily food. If God is our greatest treasure, then we actually need very little else in this life. Though this third sentence in The Model Prayer is simple, it echoes with profound truth.
4.Forgiveness for Self and Others – And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
When we bring to mind our deep sin-debt before God, we maintain a heart posture of humility and gratitude. For God is holy and just. Yet God is also merciful and forgiving. All have fallen short of the glory of God. Were it not for the blood of Jesus paying the penalty for our sins, we would never be able to stand before our God who is righteous and pure.
It is not by accident that Jesus began this section on forgiveness by first having us reflect on our own sins. This helps us extend mercy and forgiveness to those who have hurt us. And we do indeed need God’s help to forgive, because this act of grace does not come naturally to us. But with God’s Spirit at work in us, He can heal the wounds of our heart and help us forgive. Just as we have been forgiven.
5.Protection and Deliverance – And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
At the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He contended with Satan in the wilderness. Jesus withstood every attack and remained victorious, of course. However, He knew the cunning, evil and deception of Satan and taught us to pray daily for God to lead us away from the areas that tempt us and cry out to be delivered by God. Jesus reigns now and forever! But we must call on His strength and power to succeed against the enemy of our souls. As we ponder this sentence, we recall that Jesus fought against the devil using scripture. May we be diligent to learn and know the Bible deeply, that we too can fight off the devil’s accusations and deceptions against us. In this, we also acknowledge that God is greater and can help us succeed in our daily struggle against temptations.
6.Proclaim God’s Greatness – For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Jesus closed His Model Prayer with words of praise for God’s strength and glory. Though some versions of the Bible do not include this closing sentence, it is worth considering. I find it very helpful to close my prayers with praises to God, so that my prayer contains bookends of God’s mighty power. I can rest in God’s power over all. My soul is anchored in God alone. He will reign forever! This helps me keep an eternal perspective as I wrap up my prayer.
Amen – Amen
Translated from Hebrew into English as “Amen” meaning: verily, truly, so be it. When we say “Amen” we are adding our assent, our faith, our affirmation that these words are trustworthy and true and we believe God will carry it out.
As we pray, may we remember these elements of Jesus’ Model Prayer:
1.Praise and Adoration
2.Surrender
3.Requests/Dependence on God
4.Forgiveness for Self and Others
5.Protection and Deliverance
6.Proclaim God’s Greatness
I invite you to use Jesus’ Model Prayer to pray or write out a personal prayer using your own words.
Here is my prayer based on Jesus’ Model Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise your Holy Name, for you are above all and beyond all. And yet, you see me and you love me. I am overwhelmed at your great power and your powerful love. Lord God, I surrender myself to you. May you carry out Your good plans in my life. Help me yield more of myself and my ways to Your way. How I need you, my Savior. I ask you to meet my daily needs and the cries of my heart. Help me see your hands at work in ways great and small in this new day. Please forgive me for my sins. Holy Spirit, give me the desire to grow in purity and holiness to reflect more of Jesus in my life. Soften my heart toward those who have hurt me. Help me forgive them and pray for them. Protect me from evil in every form. Help me turn from temptations and run to you. You are higher than any evil, so I call on the name of Jesus over my life. Jesus reigns, now and forever! Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen
Please share your thoughts or prayers.
May our connections with God grow stronger as we commune with Him more and more in prayer!
Additional Resources:
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer By Melissa McLaughlin
How to Pray According to God’s Will By Melissa McLaughlin
3 Prayers of Hope By Melissa McLaughlin
The Lord’s Prayer Lecture By Dr. Bill Mounce at BiblicalTraining.org
Thank you for speaking the Truth into our hearts!
God bless you, sister! May Jesus’ teaching on prayer, help us draw deeper and deeper into prayer and connection with our Loving Father!
Fantastic! I had thought of writing on this subject for the longest time….I could not have done it any better! Bravo and thank you.💕
Laura, thank you for the kind words of support! Glory to God! I learned this prayer as “The Lord’s Prayer” when I was growing up. But to pause and consider each sentence one by one, I realized what a deeply profound prayer Jesus taught us. May our hearts be knit more closely to His in prayer!
Amen!!!!
Thank you for these beautiful reminders of prayer. Sharing conversation with God truly is a blessing.
So true, Melissa! To think we can share a conversation with God! Our Creator, Redeemer, Savior, Breath and Father. May we run to chat with Him in prayer. Such a joy and privilege!
You really hit the nail on the head with this one! Thank you, Melissa!
Praise God! Thank you for reading and spurring me on Valerie! Though the Lord’s Prayer or Model Prayer sounds simple at first, after pausing to consider more carefully, I see how profound Jesus’ words are. They ripple out far and wide, touching so many areas of our faith. May our prayers deepen as we deepen our understanding of Jesus and His Word!
I couldn’t agree more! ❤
So thankful for for your enlightening and prayer filled guidance for praying to God, Most High. Quite honestly, my heart was glad to see how the three persons of the trinity was interwoven throughout your prayer. I sometimes I get confused in the midst of my prayers as to which person of the Godhead should be specified. This may be an elementary and basic doctrine for a long time Christian, but I give God all glory for allowing me to be sensitive to this as I read your prayer. He knows my heart, which I am so grateful for His grace and mercy.
Thank you for reading and sharing your heart here! Yes, I do try to include all three persons of the Trinity, whenever possible in my prayers. I feel it helps me remember God’s fullness as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God the Father is our Creator, God the Son is our Savior and God the Spirit indwells the hearts of all who believe and helps us to grow in our faith and love for Him. (And that’s only scratching the surface!) As we ponder the many layers of who God is, our awe and love for Him grows. We see how great God is and how small we are, yet His love is so great, He sees us, knows us and died for us so we can be near Him forever. Truth, justice, grace, mercy, love – what a mighty God we serve! Incredible God!
This is wonderful guidance, thank you! It’s easy to forget the praise for who God is part of praying. So often our praise is tied to something specific God has done instead of simply praising Him for who He is. Loved this reminder. 🙂
I appreciate your kind words, Emily! You are right, we can sometimes forget to pause and praise God, simply for who He is. And that is how Jesus started His prayer – acknowledging God’s tender love as our Father and His greatness as our God. That is a lot to take in! May our prayers grow as far and wide as the immensity of our Father God!
I love your model prayer near the end. Beautiful and so on point. I prayed it and plan to pray it again. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thank you for reading and joining me in prayer, Yvonne! God’s Word is so rich. When I take the time to dig in deep, I am always blessed to find how much there is to uncover. I found that to be the case once again with The Lord’s Prayer or Jesus’ Model Prayer. We are connected in a special way as we pray together.
Love you sister
Love you, too, dear Yvonne!
Melissa, I love the 6 ways to pray. I often recite the Lord’s prayer each morning. My friend Lily says “Hallowed” means “holy are you, Lord.” so I say that too when I recite the prayer. This could be called the “4 C’s” of what prayer is: “Prayer is our communication, conversation, connection and communion with God.” God bless!
Glory to God! He teaches us more about Himself and draws us ever closer as we study and meditate upon His Word. I have heard that phrase, “Holy are you, Lord” used in the Lord’s Prayer, too. What an excellent way to capture the reverence we should have before Him. May we enjoy the closeness we have with our great God through the “4 Cs”! God bless you, Karen!
Wishing you blessings this day Melissa! What a wonderful post to read on Valentines Day! God knows our every need even before we ask; prayer is our deepest form of communication with our Heavenly Father. Romans 8:28: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us in wordless groans.”
Blessings and love to you, dear Linda, on this Valentine’s Day! God has poured out His love for us. May we enjoy His blessings, kindness and TLC as we take the time to draw near in prayer. He helps us pray in so many ways, because He loves us so!
Melissa, I really appreciated how you broke down the Lord’s Prayer and explained each part of it. It is helpful because so often when we pray we focus on prayers of intercession or petition, and ask God for things. But prayer needs to include all the elements of the Lord’s Prayer such as confessional prayer and prayers of adoration. So thanks for the reminder. I also appreciated how you included mentioned of all three persons of the Trinity.
Dear Anne, I appreciate your insights! You are right, I often fall into the rut of calling out to God for my needs and bypass all the beauty of remembering how great God is and how great is His love, poured out to us through Christ. And yes, the Trinity is rich beyond words! It helps us remember the many ways God reaches for us, as Father, Son and Spirit. May God enlarge our hearts for Him as we enlarge our remembrance of Him in prayer!
Amen.
I love the caption titles you chose. “Surrender” is a far better description for the portion of the prayer where we say to God “Thy will be done.” I’ve never heard anyone use the label “surrender” to describe this, but that is exactly what we’re doing, surrendering our will to his. This is essential, for that is the reason of praying and grappling with God, not to offer him a list of requests, but to praise, thank, and yield to him for he is God.
Thank you for this fresh look at Jesus’ Model Prayer. You always bring new insight to Biblical passages that are familiar. God bless you, Melissa!
I appreciate your comments and insights, Melinda! Surrender is truly essential. It’s at the core of our faith in Christ from the first moment, all the way through until we bow before Him in heaven some day. I do desire to deepen my prayers and spend more time remembering who God is, pausing in awe and wonder, surrendering, seeking to grow in dependence and forgiveness and resting in His mighty power to accomplish His good purposes in my life. May we spur one another on more and more as that day approaches. God bless you and thank you for always encouraging me! I am grateful and humbled.
I don’t have much to add to what’s been written here. One thing came to me as I read the first section on the Father. He gave up the price of a child to gain a child, me (or anyone who is praying). The thought left me humbled and tearful. I think of how much I love my children and want to protect them. I am certainly not worth that heavenly price. God is truly graceful and holy and worthy of our praise.
Thank you for adding your heartfelt reflections, Tom! That simple phrase can bring me to my knees: “He gave up the price of a child to gain a child, me.” We are not worthy of such a price. But God’s love reached down, because of His worth, His faithfulness, His love. Maintaining His full righteousness and holiness, yet He made a way through the blood of His own precious Son. Oh Jesus, let our hearts be overwhelmed again today, at the mercy you poured out for us!
Dear Melissa,
Thank you for sharing such beautiful truth here. This touched me so much: “We should treasure this most precious gift, the opportunity to pray, or talk with God, the Maker and Savior of our souls.” What an awesome gift we’ve been given, to be able to talk with God! Who is like our God? May I allow Him to keep that wonder alive in my heart. Blessings and love, dear friend!
Dear Bettie, it’s true! What an awesome gift, to be able to pray and talk to the God of the universe. And He treasures our prayers. I pray with you, that I make keep that wonder alive in my heart. Blessings and love to you, sweet sister!
Great reminders of a great model for prayer. Lord knows we all should follow His example more often. Blessings!
Thank you, Lisa, for the words of encouragement! The Model Prayer that Jesus taught is so simple, but covers a vast array of spiritual truths and needs we have. Praying we bring His prayer to mind as we pray. Yes, more of Jesus, less of me. God bless you!