Reflections on the Lord's Prayer
Reflections on the Lord's Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father or Pater Noster, contains seven petitions. The number seven often connotes completion or perfection in Scripture, and the Lord’s Prayer is just that — a complete and perfect summary of divine teachings.
Intro: Our Father who art in Heaven
Commentary: This opening address not only confirms our belief that the omnipresent omniscient God the Father is our Heavenly Father but in using the address "Our Father' it also unites Christians worldwide into one community of worshippers.
1st Petition Hallowed be Thy Name
Commentary: To "hallow" is to make holy. We're asking that God the Father be recognised by everyone throughout the world as being the ultimate holy power. It is always appropriate that we should desire the glory and honor of God as the first intention of our prayer, no matter what we may be praying for.
2nd Petition Thy Kingdom come
Commentary: We long to be in his heavenly kingdom. Here on Earth we are reminded of Christ's teaching to "love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself".
3rd Petition Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven
Commentary: God wants the best for us at all times. He knows what is good for us, even if it is the opposite of what we pray for.
4th Petition Give us this day our daily bread
Commentary: Not just the bread needed for physical survival but the grace for spiritual well being as well. Deuteronomy 8:3 says: man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”.
Commentary: Not just the bread needed for physical survival but the grace for spiritual well being as well. Deuteronomy 8:3 says: man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”.
5th Petition And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Commentary: For me that has always been the hardest petition of the Lord’s Prayer, the one we all struggle with the most. If we truly wish the best even to our transgressors then we forgive them. In doing so, we remember the words of Jesus "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?". If we do this then we will receive what we ask from God, because we will be acting like him and pleasing him.
6th Petition And lead us not into temptation
Commentary: Temptation and sin go hand in hand. It is the devil, our spiritual enemy who constantly tempts us with wrong choices so we act of our free will, and in doing wrong the devil will take us away from God. Of course God does not lead us into temptation, so what gives? Once again if we go back to the original Greek text, scholars tell us this means both 'do not allow us to enter into temptation' and 'do not let us yield to temptation.'
Commentary: Temptation and sin go hand in hand. It is the devil, our spiritual enemy who constantly tempts us with wrong choices so we act of our free will, and in doing wrong the devil will take us away from God. Of course God does not lead us into temptation, so what gives? Once again if we go back to the original Greek text, scholars tell us this means both 'do not allow us to enter into temptation' and 'do not let us yield to temptation.'
7th Petition But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Commentary: The Greek original clearly prays for us to be delivered from the “Evil One.” The devil has no power over God so when we pray to God to protect against all that is evil, He will protect us
Commentary: The Greek original clearly prays for us to be delivered from the “Evil One.” The devil has no power over God so when we pray to God to protect against all that is evil, He will protect us
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