Luke 11:1-6
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples spoke to him. “Lord,” he said, “teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus said to them, “When you pray, this is what you should say:
“’Father, may your name be honored.
May your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, As we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.’”
I find in this text a blue print for life. Each statement addresses a part of our lives that must be considered if we are to be “fully alive”. I find it very encouraging that Jesus would so succinctly package life’s meaning into the “teaching us how to pray” prayer. It tells me that prayer is vital. I must pray to be fully alive. If I neglect prayer, my life suffers accordingly. If I don’t talk to Jesus, I end up trying to do it on my own and I slowly lose the ability to fully engage in life.
Here is what I see in this passage as Jesus deals with the completeness of life.
Father, may your name be honored. validation - what makes life worth living.
May your kingdom come. motivation – what drives us to keep going.
Give us each day our daily bread. provision – what gives us the stamina to complete the task.
Forgive us our sins, As we also forgive everyone who sins against us. healing – what removes the obstacles that keep us from moving forward.
Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. growth – what increases our ability to honor the Father.
I think Jesus starts at the deepest drive and ends with real life. I love the patterns he follows. The deepest question I can ask myself is “why do I exist?” “Why am I here?” Jesus answers that question simple by saying, “Father, may your name be honored.” It’s His reminder of why we’re here. To honor the Father. This is what makes life worth living. This is one of our deepest longings. If we are wired with a desire to hear our earthly dads say, “Good job!” How much more are we wired to hear our heavenly Father say “well done”? How settling to our spirits when we know that someone is pleased with how we live? How freeing to know that how we act, or how we engage in life’s activity is validated by our Father? If God be for us, who can be against us? How much more willing am I to risk, to strike out on an adventure, to follow the Holy Spirit's prompting when I know my Father is pleased with me doing so? How much deeper will I engage in life when I know my Father is smiling in approval? Knowing that His name is honored by how I’m living my life.
Father, may your name be honored.
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples spoke to him. “Lord,” he said, “teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus said to them, “When you pray, this is what you should say:
“’Father, may your name be honored.
May your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, As we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.’”
I find in this text a blue print for life. Each statement addresses a part of our lives that must be considered if we are to be “fully alive”. I find it very encouraging that Jesus would so succinctly package life’s meaning into the “teaching us how to pray” prayer. It tells me that prayer is vital. I must pray to be fully alive. If I neglect prayer, my life suffers accordingly. If I don’t talk to Jesus, I end up trying to do it on my own and I slowly lose the ability to fully engage in life.
Here is what I see in this passage as Jesus deals with the completeness of life.
Father, may your name be honored. validation - what makes life worth living.
May your kingdom come. motivation – what drives us to keep going.
Give us each day our daily bread. provision – what gives us the stamina to complete the task.
Forgive us our sins, As we also forgive everyone who sins against us. healing – what removes the obstacles that keep us from moving forward.
Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. growth – what increases our ability to honor the Father.
I think Jesus starts at the deepest drive and ends with real life. I love the patterns he follows. The deepest question I can ask myself is “why do I exist?” “Why am I here?” Jesus answers that question simple by saying, “Father, may your name be honored.” It’s His reminder of why we’re here. To honor the Father. This is what makes life worth living. This is one of our deepest longings. If we are wired with a desire to hear our earthly dads say, “Good job!” How much more are we wired to hear our heavenly Father say “well done”? How settling to our spirits when we know that someone is pleased with how we live? How freeing to know that how we act, or how we engage in life’s activity is validated by our Father? If God be for us, who can be against us? How much more willing am I to risk, to strike out on an adventure, to follow the Holy Spirit's prompting when I know my Father is pleased with me doing so? How much deeper will I engage in life when I know my Father is smiling in approval? Knowing that His name is honored by how I’m living my life.
Father, may your name be honored.
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