When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do; for they believe that, the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as in heaven. Give us today, our daily bread; forgive us our debts, as we forgive those who are in debt to us. Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from evil one.
If you forgive others their wrongdoings, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours. If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you.
POINTS OF REFLECTION
In this Bible reading, Jesus taught us how to pray. Though it is okay to recite the “Lord’s Prayer” Jesus had taught us some two thousand years ago would be better if we would go a little further by visualizing it beyond the literal lines.
When we say “Our Father in heaven, holy be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as in heaven” the whole thing tells us to recognize how powerful God is, and worthy of our love and praises. Saying “Give us today, our daily bread” means that God is quick to answer for our needs of survival not for our wants and luxuries. Saying” Forgive us our debts, as we forgive those who are in debt to us” means asking forgiveness of our trespasses to God with the promise of forgiving others in away like a child does keeping no memories of hatred of the past. It is in fact letting go of those who have severely offended us day by day. Saying “Do not bring us to the test, but deliver us from evil one” means, we also need to pray for God’s deliverance on hard trials and evil one of this life.
In totality, the prayer Jesus taught us how, highlighted what we need to prioritize of this life which includes: knowing and loving God in a way of adoration, asking Him enough only for this life, asking for His pardon with the promise of doing the same to others, freeing us from the test of life, and deliverance from the evil one. Thus, Christian believer adopted this prayer format alliterated as ACTS which means Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
Visits: 1867
Doctor in Development Education ( Dev. Ed. D.), an all time educator as School Head and HEI Instructor.