Start BookSample

Topic: Prayer

What does it say?

Jesus provides his disciples with a model for prayer.

What does it mean?

The first words of the Lord’s Prayer are “Our Father,” which reminds us that we are approaching a God who loves us and genuinely cares for us. Jesus then invites us to acknowledge and praise God for who he is. Then, we bring our needs before God, asking him to provide for us. Finally, we seek forgiveness and ask for protection.

How should I respond?

Prayer can sometimes feel complicated. We wonder if we have the right words or the right posture. We wonder how to start, how to finish, and how much time to spend in prayer. In this passage, Jesus simplifies things by giving us a pattern to follow. His goal is not to get us to pray exactly this way every time, but simply to give us a model to help us focus our prayers. Like any relationship, we grow closer to God by spending time with him – talking to him and listening to him. If you don’t know where to start when it comes to prayer, model your prayers after the pattern Jesus gives us in this passage, and watch him transform your life as you draw closer to him.