Becoming Good NewsНамуна

Praying the Good News

After we get inside the Good News through reading the Gospels, we need to let the Good News get inside of us. It doesn’t happen by trying really hard. One way it does happen, though, is through prayer. Thankfully, Jesus gave us a prayer that absolutely aligns our hearts and minds with His Good News. He literally said,  “This then is how you should pray …” 

So, let’s learn how to pray from the Man Himself. This is taken from today’s reading in Matthew, using the NIV translation of the Bible.   

"Our Father in heaven ..."

Jesus’ prayer starts with four words intended to remind us who God is and what He is like. He is our heavenly Father. This means He is perfect, and He cares for us. He is not an absent father, a distant landlord, or an uncaring impersonal force. We are His children, and He is our God. 

"Hallowed be your name ..."

Hallowed means to be kept holy. God is holy. These words remind us that God is worthy of our worship. Some Bible translations put it this way: “May your name be kept holy.” As Christians, we are called to keep God’s name holy by living holy lives. To be holy means to be set apart for a purpose. 

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

What a great part of the prayer. Jesus is telling us to pray for Heaven to come to Earth. God's plan to rescue humanity and restore creation has been launched. Heaven is breaking through. God's way of doing things is coming. We are asking God to finish what He started. We are looking forward to the day when God's will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven. And we remind ourselves that it will take God’s help for us to live in alignment with His will each and every day. 

"Give us today our daily bread."

This is the part where we ask God for what we need. Maybe it’s literally food. Maybe a job. Maybe it’s for him to heal our parents’ marriage or to help our friend make better choices. Ask God for what you need. He may not always give us what we want, but He is always faithful to meet our true needs. 

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

We all carry a debt that we cannot pay. That debt is sin. Sin is expensive. It cost a perfect life offered on our behalf—the life Jesus lived and freely gave as a gift of grace for us to accept if we choose. Through that gift, God offers forgiveness. Forgiveness was never meant to stop with us. Forgiveness is meant to flow through us. C.S. Lewis says it this way, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." Ask God to forgive you and to give you the strength to forgive others. 

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Now, we look to the future. Ask God to protect you from trials, hardship, and keep us safe from our enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Sometimes, we may just ask God to get us out of the mess we’re in. Ask God for help when you need it. Ask God for help before you need it. 

If you want to become a Good News person, try praying like Jesus.