Have you ever started praying but did not know what to say? Perhaps this is one of the reasons that we do not pray as often as we should. We do not know how to pray. Thankfully, Jesus instructed us with a pattern to follow. As we look at this pattern, we should note that it is a pattern, not magic words. Jesus tells us to pray in this way, not pray these words. Although praying the very words is not a bad idea at all.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a pattern for prayer. This pattern is contained for us in Matthew 6:9-13 – 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This prayer provides us with a good pattern to follow.
First, Jesus opens the prayer with praise to God. The phrase “hallowed be your name” carries the idea of God’s holiness and supremacy. It is a good practice to begin our prayer by declaring the attributes of God that mean much to us at that time. We can rehearse God’s sovereignty, majesty, goodness, love, mercy, justice, righteousness, and so much more. When we do this, it reminds us of several things. First, it reminds us that God is to be honored. He is not some other human that we are talking to. Second, it reminds us that God is in control and cares for us. This allows us to be open with Him in prayer.
Second, Jesus reminds Himself of His eternal purpose. He prays that God’s Kingdom would come. This statement reminds us that our lives are about much more than the present. Often, when we come in prayer, we are consumed with the problems and challenges of the present. When we pray that God’s Kingdom would come, we are reminded that we serve an Eternal Kingdom. This world is just a blip on the radar.
Third, Jesus aligns Himself with God’s will. Sadly, our prayers are often consumed with our wants and desires. We measure God’s answer by how it aligns with what we think He should do. We insist that our thoughts are the best thoughts and our ways are the best ways. But we must align ourselves with God’s will. So, as we pray, we should say something to the effect of, “God, help me to know your will in this situation and to follow it.”
Fourth, Jesus turns to requests for needs. Only after His vision has been aligned with God does he turn to the present needs. Yet, it is right to ask for our present needs. We should rely on God for our daily needs. 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to throw our anxieties on God because He cares for us. Don’t be ashamed to cry to God for your needs.
Fifth, Jesus recognizes that we will need forgiveness. We are to ask God to forgive our sins. However, there is a caveat. We must also forgive those who sin against us. If we hold grudges and harbor a spirit of bitterness, we cannot expect God to forgive our sins. We receive and give forgiveness.
Finally, we ask God to help us stay out of sin. With this, we are reminded that God will not put us into a place of temptation from which we cannot escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). We don’t have to sin. Ask God to help lead us away from temptation and to keep us from evil. Have you prayed about that sin you are struggling with?
When you pray, there is a pattern you can and should follow: Praise God for who He is, align yourself with your eternal purpose, seek and submit to God’s will, make your requests, seek forgiveness, and request deliverance. With this pattern, you will discover that prayer becomes much easier. Let us be a people of prayer.