More Than a Pre-Game Prayer

We all know the Lord’s Prayer. It’s that short speech that was always mumbled under your breath right before you took the field. Essentially, it’s the “go-to” pre-game prayer. To be completely honest, I didn’t realize that the Lord’s Prayer was actually a portion of scripture until I was about 20 years old (that’s bad I know).

I didn’t know that the prayer I half-heartedly recited in preparation for a game, was the prayer Jesus had given to us to pray in preparation for every day of our Christian life. Each and every word is soaked with intentionality, meant to draw us closer in relationship with Him.

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him how to pray, this was His answer…

•  “To our Father who’s in Heaven, hallowed be Your name…”

 This first line is meant to frame the entire prayer. Its’ purpose isn’t just to present the fact that God is our Father and that He is in Heaven. We so easily can dismiss this as just another fact, another piece of information… or we can let the statement saturate us with the amazing reality that God is OUR Father and therefore WE are HIS children.

It can bring us to the incredible conclusion that we are in an unconditional, unbreakable relationship. Any communication with Him should be an up-close and personal rapport, not a recital.

His name deserves and demands much more than a half empty speech. This communication isn’t about presentation or performance; it’s about a reverent relationship between a perfect father and His imperfect children.

•  “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

 This statement isn’t about hoping and wishing that God’s plan would be done. This is personally asking to be a part of what WILL be done. God doesn’t need our participation, but He delights in it.

He doesn’t require our involvement, but He knows that our involvement is the only thing that will bring fulfillment and happiness into our life. Jesus lived to see His Father’s will done (John 5:19). This is our invitation to do the same.

•  “Give us this day our daily bread…”

 This isn’t primarily or exclusively a request to be physically sustained. Jesus calls himself the “Bread of Life” in John 6:35, meaning He is the provider and fulfillment of our spiritual needs.

This should be a reminder of our weakness and our dependency on Him. And this isn’t for just when things go bad; it’s a daily, moment-by-moment need for Him and His presence. We can’t do it alone and He doesn’t intend for us to either.

•  “…and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

This verse says, “forgive us our debts”… but this doesn’t mean we have to ask for forgiveness repeatedly in an attempt to retain forgiveness. We’re in an unconditional relationship with God and it’s my belief that we will always remain forgiven.

However, as a Christian, our life should be marked by confession. Because once you understand God’s love fully, you won’t feel like you have to confess your failures, you will feel like you need to confess them.

Confession brings healing and just like any loving Father, if you know what will heal your hurting children you will instruct them to take the medicine (James 5:16).

•  “…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

 Part of being a Christian is fighting the every day battle against temptation. The enemy knows that if he can distract us with bondage then he can make us ineffective for God’s kingdom.

If we are not constantly in prayer we may very easily give in to these temptations. It’s only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we have any power over the enemy.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.