The prayer of a follower of Jesus
by Pastor Glenn Crouch
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This, then, is how you should pray … (Matthew 6:9a).
Read Matthew 6:7–15
I spent many years of my adult life where the Lord’s Prayer was seen primarily as a framework for how to pray. Don’t get me wrong – it does do a wonderful job of this. But since joining the Lutheran Church 30 years ago, I have found such joy and blessing in the liturgy. I now feel that a church service where we don’t say the Lord’s Prayer together is missing something.
Yet, as many commentators have pointed out, this prayer isn’t really how Jesus prayed but how he wanted us as his followers to pray. (See John 17 for our Lord Jesus praying.) So, we must think about the words we pray in this prayer. We can’t do that justice here – instead, let’s look at one particular aspect: ‘our.’
We pray to ‘Our Father’ – we are brothers and sisters through Christ. We ask for ‘our daily bread’ – not just for my needs but also for my family’s and my neighbour’s needs. We ask for forgiveness for ‘our debts’ – not only for my sins but also for the sins of others. We ask, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ – not only for my protection but also for the protection of others.
While I definitely bring my praise and requests to my Heavenly Father, as a follower of Jesus, I must not forget those around me. As we ask for ourselves, we also ask for others. Jesus advocates for us (as does the other great advocate, the Holy Spirit), so we do need to advocate for others. We should see beyond our own needs and problems and thus see the needs and problems of those around us – and bring those to our Heavenly Father.
Our Father in heaven, thank you for this prayer that your Son gave us. I thank you that I can bring my praise and my needs before you. Help me remember that you also want me to bring praise and the needs of my neighbours before you. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
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