Ideas

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Quotations to stir heart and mind.

THIS, THEN, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”Matthew 6:9

THIS PRAYER is a pattern for all Christian praying; Jesus is teaching that prayer will be acceptable when, and only when, the attitudes, thoughts, and desires expressed fit the pattern. That is to say: every prayer of ours should be a praying of the Lord’s Prayer in some shape or form.J. I. Packer, Growing in Christ

AND MAKE US WORTHY, O Lord, that we joyously and without presumption may make bold to invoke Thee, the heavenly God, as Father, and to say: “Our Father …” Eastern Orthodox Introduction to the Recitation of the Lord’s Prayer

[GOD] ALONE is worthy, but he can make us worthy too. That, too, is what “our Father” means: The grace of God conscripts us both as receivers and givers of forgiveness.Telford Work, Ain’t Too Proud to Beg

ALL BELIEVERS are sons of the Father and brothers of one another, regardless of their race, nationality, education, money, or any other difference. And it is high time that the followers of Jesus Christ either faced up to this truth or quit repeating this prayer.Clarence Jordan, Sermon on the Mount (revised edition)

THAT WE PRAY to God in heaven is a reminder that we become part of a large struggle by praying this prayer. The thing between us and Jesus is not merely personal; it’s cosmic. The God whom we have been taught by Jesus to address as “our Father” is the one who rules the whole cosmos, who speaks in earthquake, wind, and fire. Any less of a god wouldn’t do us much good.William H. Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas, Lord Teach Us: The Lord’s Prayer and the Christian Life

HEAVEN, biblically, means the realm where God rules fully and God’s will is done. Jesus is affirming that God really is the Ruler, and that God really is our Father, present, bringing deliverance into our lives.Glen H. Stassen, Living the Sermon on the Mount

HOW does [God’s name] become holy among us? The plainest answer is: When both our teaching and our life are godly and Christian. Since in this prayer we call God our Father, it is our duty in every way to behave as good children so that he may receive from us not shame but honor and praise.Martin Luther, Large Catechism

PRAYING without ceasing, “hallowed be your name,” I ask for God’s grace that we may continue together to learn to see and respond with wonder, gratitude, and love to God’s holy beauty not only in our own lives, but in the life of every human being who bears it.Roberta C. Bondi, A Place to Pray

Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Previous Reflections columns are available on our site.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Jesus Is Not a Brand

Review

'The Blue Parakeet' Faces Inconvenient Verses

PhotographyWatch

News

Memphis's Other Graceland

Pivoting Toward the Faraway Neighbor

What Is a Spiritual Director?

What Is Spiritual Direction?

Spiritual Formation Agenda

News

Managing Your Money

News

A Surefire Investment

Groans Too Deep for Words

Faith-based Super Bowl Parties

The Evolution of Darwin

There Goes the Neighborhood

News

Books Uncommon and Offbeat

News

The Greatest Social Need

Review

Jacaranda

News

Evolve or Die

News

Popcorn in the Pews

Bush's Envoy's Advice: 'Raise Cain'

News

Building a Peace Beyond Understanding

Review

Everyday Lord

News

Better Than a Bailout

News

Battle Fatigue

Editorial

Don't Let Them Die Alone

How to Help Orphans

Our Priorities for 2009

News

Go Figure

News

Black Flight

News

Second Thoughts

News

Emergent's Divergence

News

Microfinance, Now More Micro

News

News Briefs: January 01, 2009

News

Quotation Marks

News

Passages

News

Up for Debate

View issue

Our Latest

Taylor Swift Makes Showgirls of Us All

Something compels us to perform our relationship with the pop star’s music. Maybe that’s her secret to success.

Public Theology Project

The Loss of One Forgotten Virtue Could Destroy the Country

We’ve all become numb to this unserious, trivializing age.

News

Amid Floods and Heat Waves, Indian Church Fights Climate Change

Christ Church in Kerala tends to its garden while helping its parishioners and neighbors live sustainably.

A Civil War of Words

Evangelical factions can increasingly be identified by our speech. We agree on big issues yet insult and talk past each other.

The Manosphere Gets Discipline Right and Dependence Wrong

Young men are right to want agency, clarity, and strength. But grit alone cannot carry them.

The Russell Moore Show

Benjamin Watson and Russell Moore on The Just Life

Christian justice, gospel-centered living, and faithful action

Is a Ban on Conversion Therapy Constitutional?

In her Supreme Court challenge, evangelical therapist Kaley Chiles calls the Colorado law a violation of her free speech.

Wire Story

Tony Evans Will No Longer Pastor Dallas Megachurch After Restoration

Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship announced that its pastor of 48 years won’t return to leadership. The church expects son Jonathan Evans to succeed him.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube