The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer, also known as the Our Father or Pater Noster, is one of most prayed prayers in Christendom. The reason for its popularity stems from fact that it is a prayer Jesus said to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV) and, "Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples,Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:^[

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
³ Give us day by day our daily bread.
⁴ And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one. Amen." (Luke 11:1-4). Many translations and paraphrases are seriously abridging the prayer which is of great concern, "Father, may your name be kept holy.    May your Kingdom come soon.
³ Give us each day the food we need,
⁴ and forgive us our sins,
    as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation." (NLT).

There is a curse on anyone who changes one iota in Book of Revelation, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." (Revelation 22:18-19, this alone is reason I could never be Bible translator! Eek!). I would think the same would apply to any amendments and changes to Christ's words!

The Lord's Prayer was an answer to His disciples who asked, "how should we pray?" (Luke 11:1). Roman Catholics tend to pray it verbatim, word for word while holding a Rosary (wooden or plastic or stone beaded Crucifix). Some Protestants use the Prayer a model, they substitute the words, "give us this day our daily bread" with their own needs, which might include bills. Still others use the Prayer is model of how to talk to God, first acknowledging who God is "Our Father in Heaven", then worship, "Hollowed, honored your name," then submission to God's will, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven," (cross ref James 4:7), then requests, "Give us our daily bread, our need and sustenance," (cross ref Matthew 10:29-31 ), then repentance for sins, "forgive us our trespasses or debts, as we forgive those who trespass against us," then prayer for protection, "lead us not into temptation," and finally "deliver us from the evil one."

There is debate about meanings of each sentence. For instance the part about "daily bread," is that in reference to Jesus saying that our needs are known by Father, "What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows," (Matthew 10:29-31), "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:25-34). Or is the daily bread actually Jesus, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh," (John 6:51), and "Jesus answered, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst" (John 6:35) and thus it is a prayer to invoke His presence in our day? Then there is the question about the last couplet that tends to read, "For Thine is Power, Kingdom, and Glory Forever and Ever," which isn't found in both Gospels (Luke's and Matthew's). Are we suppose to say this last line? Ironically, the Our Father or Lord's Prayer can be yet another reason for denominations to divide and bicker, but I honestly think the Our Father Prayer serves us in other ways. When you do not know what to pray in middle of a trauma, tragedy, and mental duress, when you are shaken and in severe pain in any of its forms, it helps to have prayer you don't have to formulate yourself, but you can repeat over and over if need be. For contain in Lord's prayer is the pantheon of problems and needs we have. There are some that find praying the Lord's Prayer is a great way to distress, using it along with deep breaths to relieve the anxieties and tension in their souls. The Lord's Prayer is a tool for us in hard times, a reminder that God wants to respond to our needs, but it also is great model of priorities, God then everything afterwards. I think it can be both interpretations, to pray it literal as in word for word, and to see it as model. I think bread part is both God will provide, and Jesus is the Bread.

The Lord's Prayer is a special prayer because it is one Christ instructs us to pray. Unlike Jesus' prayer in the Seventeenth Chapter of the Gospel of John, the Our Father Prayer is an answer to a direct question, "How shall we pray?" and Jesus responds, "Pray like this.. Our Father.." (Matthew 6:7-9). I think Protestant brothers and sisters shouldn't avoid this prayer out of spite towards Catholic brothers and sisters. Nor should the Our Father Prayer become root and without passion, "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again," (Matthew 6:7) this verse preludes or is right before The Our Father Prayer which begins in verse VI or six. The Our Father or Lord's Prayer should excite us, Jesus actually prayed it and instructs us to pray it. So why wouldn't we add it to our many prayers? If it was good enough for our Savior and God (Titus 2:13), then isn't it good enough for His servants, us?