Matthew 6:7-15 NASB
⁷And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. ⁹Pray, then, in this way:
Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us this day our daily bread.
¹²And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[For Yours is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever. Amen.’]
¹⁴For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Devotional
We may pray to our Father like a child.
People who are not saved live separated from God.
But whoever believes in the atoning blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of his or her sins is free from guilt. He may draw near to the LORD as to his heavenly Father (John 14:7).
Do you want to know Who He is?
Then look at Jesus.
As Jesus is, full of love, forgiveness and healing goodness, so is the Father (John 14:9).
Knowing this, immediately makes it easy for us to pray to the Father with childlike confidence.
Much different from the heathen; who try with much clamor to appease their gods. We don’t need to do that, because the Father knows what we need, even before we say anything. We can get straight to the point (Matthew 6:7,8).
Jesus teaches us to turn to the Father with reverence.
He is Almighty God. And above all, His name should be honored and praised.
His name … that is Himself: ‘I am who I am’ (Exodus 3:13-15).
▪︎ He is from eternity and will be eternally.
▪︎ He is merciful, patient, great in love and faithful, good and forgiving, but resists hardened sinners (Exodus 34:5-7).
▪︎ He alone is to be worshiped and served (Matthew 6:9; cf. Exodus 34:14).
The desire for God’s Kingship, and the doing of His will must also have a place in our prayer (Matthew 6:10). And further we may ask the Father to feed and clothe us, to forgive us our sins, and to protect us from all the tricks of Satan (Matthew 6:11-13).
By His great power and glory, the Lord can keep us from all evil (Matthew 6:13).
Did not Jesus Himself teach us to pray this prayer (Matthew 6:9)?
Would not the Father then hear us?
In Matthew 6:14-15 we are told to forgive one another.
We can sometimes find that very difficult. Yet it is necessary, because continuing to walk around with resentment in the heart disrupts our relationship with the Father (Compare 2 Corinthians 2:10).
But what we have difficulty with, Jesus wants to make easy for us.
The Holy Spirit wants to lead us to obey God.
The LORD Himself gives us what He requires of us (Compare Philippians 2:12,13; Ezekiel 11:19,20; 36:25-27).
Question
▪︎ What does it mean to you that God is your Heavenly Father?
Prayer suggestions
▪︎ Thank God that you may be His child.
▪︎ Thank God that you can pray to Him with childlike confidence.
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