The Lord’s Prayer is well-known and often quoted (Matthew 6:9-13). It has become, however, a victim of its own popularity. While it’s often recited, it’s also poorly understood. Our familiarity with it hasn’t resulted in a deeper appreciation of its meaning. Ironically, it’s typically used in the very same way that the Lord warned us not to use it—vain repetition (vv.7-8).
Jesus gave two examples of unacceptable ways to pray. First, “don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them” (v.5). We’re not to use our perceived piety as a platform to show off how religious or spiritual we are (v.1). Second, Jesus said, “don’t babble on and on . . . by repeating [our] words again and again” (v.7).
Instead, we’re to pray simply, sincerely, privately (v.6), and confidently. For our Father knows exactly what we need even before we ask Him (v.8). And we’re promised a reward from God when we deliberately do not showcase our prayer life (v.6).
What does Jesus mean when He says, “Pray like this”? (v.9). Does it mean that we pray in the exact words of Matthew 6:9-13?
The Lord’s Prayer serves as a guide or blueprint for what true prayer can be. From it, we learn how to talk with God and how and what to ask of Him giving direction to our own adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. It’s a model for us, just like many other recorded prayers in the Bible (1 Chronicles 4:10; 2 Chronicles 6:14-21; Daniel 9:3-19; Nehemiah 1:4-11).
The Lord’s Prayer is God’s Word, so there’s nothing wrong with memorizing and reciting it. It’s important that we don’t simply babble memorized words, however, but pray what we mean and mean what we pray.
More:
• Ephesians 1:15-21
• Ephesians 3:14-19
• Colossians 1:9-12
Next:
From the prayers found in the “more>” section, what can we learn about the God to whom we pray? How do your prayer practices need to change?
moparvanman on June 4, 2010 at 7:05 am
I don’t fully agree with you about not repeating the Lord’s Prayer. There have been many times in my life due to physical and mental situations that the only thing that gets me thru these times is to repeat this prayer to God. I don’t stand on corners and pray the prayer. It’s a private thing between me and God. Maybe I don’t understand your point, but caution should be taken when giving views.
collinsprevost on June 4, 2010 at 12:24 pm
I think you are missing the message here, repeat the Lord’s prayer but not just for the sake of repeating it with empty meaning.
msumalabe on June 4, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Moparvanman, you may have not read the last paragraph of the message. It was clearly mentioned that “there’s nothing wrong with memorizing and reciting it”. But if someone is saying the Lord’s Prayer without meaning it, not coming from the heart, not becoming an intimate communication with the Lord – just in “vain repetition” – then that is not a prayer at all.
KT, thank you for this message.
bingkee on June 4, 2010 at 7:57 am
Moparvanman—What is being pointed in this devotional is that Jesus cautions us to repeat prayers that are just repetition, meaning—memorized without meaning. Prayers that are just repetitious because they were merely memorized , and uttered without sincerity and meaning is vain. I think you did not understand what the post means…..it is in the Bible that Jesus said “Don’t babble on and on…”Babble means to chatter idly, no meaning.”
If you pray without really knowing what you are saying, without faith, without gratitude and adoration, and you keep repeating the words, then that’s not prayer at all.
tom felten on June 4, 2010 at 8:48 am
Exactly, bingkee! KT not saying that memorization or the reciting of Scripture is wrong, but that it’s important for us all to have an intimate prayer relationship with God. As he wrote, we must “learn how to talk with God and how and what to ask of Him giving direction to our own adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.”
maryanneb47 on June 4, 2010 at 11:38 am
I feel it’s important to teach my grandchildren some of the scriptures from the Bible and the “Little Catachism” by Martin Luther because it teaches them the meaning of the prayers so they learn what it means. Like loananna said their are some turbulent times that I can’t think of anything else to say then the Lord’s Prayer. I don’t babble, I say prayers in my mind without anyone else knowing I’m praying to the Lord.
R R Kelkar on June 4, 2010 at 9:14 am
K T, your point is well taken, but I feel that you have been rather unfair to the Lord’s prayer. It is at the core of a Christian’s dialogue with God, with Psalm 23 coming very close to it. For many years, our nightly family devotions would begin with Psalm 23, followed by my father’s own prayer and end up with the Lord’s prayer. I was young then, but this 3-part formula seems to work for me even now. Life’s needs can differ from day to day, as one may be hungry or satisfied, tempted or be at ease, wronged or appreciated by someone, but the Lord’s prayer always has something for the day. And if the day has been uneventful, it it still a reminder of God’s majesty and power that has resulted in a day that ran smoothly. More importantly, there are times so turbulent that the mind is unable to compose a prayer, but the Lord’s prayer and Psalm 23 say it all Thank God, that we know them by heart.
lindellj on June 4, 2010 at 9:21 am
I have experienced people babbling on and on as they pray or even saying grace at the dinner table and I think it is distracting. Even when we are in a crisis in our lives, praying to the Lord first shows that you are hoping that He will heal or intervene but as it says in the word He already knows the desires of our hearts, so praying the same prayer over and over in my opinion isn’t necessary and by repeating it makes it seem that He didn’t hear you the first time or even the second. We all know that everything is done of God is done on His time. Just say thanks if or when He decides to answer it.
loananna on June 4, 2010 at 9:38 am
R.R. was right, I have been in turbulent times when the only thing that could come to mind was the Lord’s prayer. I don’t think of it a mindless bable but the Lord new the cry’s of my heart. It is said the Holy spirit will interprite our prayers, even when nothing but bable comes out. Scripture in any form memorized and hidden in our heart is our shield
mikan14 on June 4, 2010 at 10:36 am
For me, I think the point is to know the Lord’s Prayer by heart. Not just reciting it, but knowing it with the full knowledge and Spirit of God in us. Sadly, other people know it literally.
The Lord’s Prayer can be a pattern on how we pray, just like ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication), just like a guide. But what’s important is what’s inside our hearts.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26, NKJV)
dianalovesjesus2 on June 4, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Now here is another facet ….when I am having trouble with controlling my thoughts….my mind is racing in areas….with thoughts inappropriate….and I remember the Scripture…take every thought captive…I will say the Rosary….and my mind calms down. Is it ‘prayer’? When I began it, I prayerfully asked for help and grace….<3 …food 4 thought….
dickysusilo on June 4, 2010 at 6:04 pm
We talk to god in prayer dan praise.
When we pray, we are unique.
When we praise, we are ordinary.
With rosary and “remember the scripture” we praise the God.
When our mind calm down, we can pray to God with our own word.
Lord’s prayer is our praise to Him.
Street corners and the synagogues are the place to calm down our mind.
“repeating words again and again” are praise to the Lord.
mysavinggrace on June 4, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Hi k.t. I do agree with you on the part of vain repetition. As a congregation we used to recite the Lord’s prayer, and for many many years I had no idea of the significance of it. To me I was just mere reciting it as if I was reciting the multiplication table. But as I grew closer to the Lord I found that there was meaning to the Lord’s prayer, and it was not THE prayer to pray (per se), but it’s what we should pray for as God’s children. Thank you Jesus for showing us how to pray.