Lesson 3: What is Prayer?
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
The Bible gives us many examples of how we can pray. The most popular of these prayers is the "Lord's Prayer." In this prayer, Jesus teaches us how to pray. It goes like this:
The Lord's Prayer
"This, then, is how you should 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 today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever.
Amen.'" ~ Matthew 6:9–15 (NIV)
You may hear this prayer in church many times. Let's break it down, so you know what is being said.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name."
This means that we are praying to the one and only God. And, we are praising God for who He is.
"You kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
This is saying that we are waiting for God's kingdom to come to earth, and that whatever He wants done on earth will be done.
"Give us today our daily bread."
We are praying that God meet our daily needs. We are praying that our physical bodies be taken care of on earth (food, water, shelter, clothing, etc.).
"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
This means that we should forgive others for things they have done wrong to us, so God will forgive us of our sins when we do things wrong, too.
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Here we are asking God to keep us safe. We want Him to show us right from wrong and protect us from Satan, who tries hard to make us do things unpleasing to God.
"For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever."
This means we acknowledge God as Almighty. We end our prayer with more praise to God.
