This is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, let your name be kept holy…”
Matthew 6:9
Jesus knows how to pray and the gospels demonstrate that Jesus was praying often. His disciples wanted to learn to pray from him, so they asked him how to pray (see Luke 11:1). The beginning of the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples is posted above from Matthew 6:9 which was used as an illustration in the sermon on the mount.
This is the best prayer that a disciple of Jesus can pray. See the following reasons.
- It is Direct and Clear. It is the prayer that Jesus gave his disciples. He could have given any prayer, but this was his direct answer to the request from one of his disciples to teach them to pray. The Psalms, of course, have many diverse prayers, but this is the only focused answer from Jesus regarding how to pray.
- It is comprehensive. It touches on spiritual need, bodily necessities, forgiveness of sins, and other blessings. Basically all of what is needed for all things concerning our bodies and souls.
- It is Biblical. It is repeated by Jesus and repeated in scripture and because of that fact, it has been repeated by Christians throughout the centuries all over the world.
- It is God-centered.
Martin Luther wrote, “It would be better if you prayer one Lord’s Prayer–praying it with all your heart, really thinking about the words, letting it change your life for the better–than for you to recite all other prayers combined.”
The Lord’s Prayer is a special part of our weekly worship services. We pray it together as a church every Sunday. I encourage you to pray it through many times between Sundays and then to join us for in-person corporate worship (Sundays 10:30 at 428 W. Lindsey, Norman, OK) or online if you are unable to attend in person, as we participate in the ministry of our resurrected, ascended, & reigning Lord Jesus Christ.
“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.“
(Matthew 6:9-13 ESV)