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21 Days of Prayer 2022

Day 15

 

REFLECT

Many Christians regularly recite the Lord’s Prayer as part of their daily or weekly worship practices. Scripture is always worth memorizing, and Jesus’s prayer guide offers us a rich pattern for talking with God. How familiar are you with the Lord’s Prayer? If you’ve memorized and recited it regularly, how do you keep the words meaningful rather than merely repetitive?

 

J.D. (citing Tim Keller) recommended seeing the Lord’s Prayer as a model, an outline that can help us focus as we talk with God. If we think of each phrase as a melody, which can lead to us “riffing,” or improvising, we can then apply it specifically to our prayer at any given moment. How would you describe the general pattern of your prayers? Would you describe your prayers as following a template? Why or why not?

 

Addressing God as our Father reminds us that he is trustworthy. In prayer, we are turning to the God who created us, who cares for us, who has the ability to answer our prayers. What is your primary sense of how God relates to you? How would you describe your level of trust in him?

 

The second line, “hallowed be your name,” reminds us that God is the “main character.” We should prioritize God’s holy nature, his beauty and perfection and otherness, over our requests or needs. This line of praise is an invitation to start our prayers with worship. How would you describe your priorities when you begin to pray? In what ways can you regularly incorporate worship into your prayer life?

 

The next phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done,” leads us to a posture of surrender. By praying for God’s will instead of our own agenda, we invite God to show us what he’s up to and how we can join his work. When was the last time you asked God to show you what he wants done in your life? How difficult is it to put his desires before your own? 

 

J.D. shared Eugene Peterson’s reflection that “your kingdom come” could be a morning prayer welcoming God’s work that day to accomplish his purposes. “Your will be done,” is more about surrender—trusting that whatever happens that day is secure in God’s faithful hands. What do you need to surrender to God? What would it look like for you to trust him a little bit more today?

 

RESPOND

The first half of the Lord’s Prayer is all about God. Prayer begins with trust and worship, putting God in the center where he belongs. Only by surrendering to him and his plans can we move forward with a proper posture.

 

 

What needs or desires do you need to surrender to God? Start your morning prayers with anticipation that he (not you) will be glorified through your life that day. In the evening, focus on trusting that his will, not yours, is most important. Reflect on his faithfulness, and rest.