Lessons from the Gospel of Luke: Faith in Action

Read Luke 11

In the first 10 chapters of Luke, we learned that Jesus considered conversations with His Father an important part of His life and ministry.  He prayed at His baptism, at daybreak after a busy day of ministry, at lonely places, on a mountainside before He chose His apostles, before He fed the 5,000, in private, at the Transfiguration, and in thanksgiving.  It’s no wonder then that in Chapter 11, His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray.  They wanted to follow His example just as we should.  So, what does His model prayer, what we commonly call the Lord’s Prayer, teach us about how to pray?

• Start with how you address God.  Jesus called Him Father, and since we are now part of the “family”, we should also call Him Father.  Paul’s words in Romans 8:9 – 17 show that “Abba Father” reflects a warm, intimate relationship with God, something we should all appreciate.
• As we speak to our Father, we must begin with praise.  To “hallow” His name means to glorify Him, praise Him, honor Him, show reverence, and place Him above everything else in our lives.
• Next, we must remember that God’s ways are always superior to ours.  By asking that “His Kingdom come,” we are saying, “Your will be done.” This part of our prayers should include seeking more people for His Kingdom, asking that evil be destroyed, and asking for God to be revealed to everyone.
• After we remember who we are addressing, have given Him the praise and honor He is due, and have surrendered to His will, we are ready to address the “asks.”
  • Our daily bread: By asking God to meet our daily needs, we acknowledge that He is more than able to do so. It is an act of surrender to Him.
  • Forgiveness: Even when we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we still sin daily and must seek forgiveness.  By admitting our failings and seeking forgiveness, we are also acknowledging His mercy and grace.
  • Forgive Others: Jesus commands us to forgive others (Mark 11:25), and though our human tendencies often seek revenge, God’s grace gives us the power to forgive others just as we have been forgiven.
  • Lead us not into temptation, or one might say, “Keep us from giving in to temptation.” We need His wisdom to avoid temptation. 

Jesus gave us His model prayer, not so we would recite it without thinking, but so we would know how important it is to be in constant communion with our Father. There’s nothing wrong with reciting the Lord’s prayer, but it is much more important to speak to your Father from your heart, giving Him the praise and honor He deserves, and surrendering your will to His. That’s what it means to pray like Jesus!