How to Pray

 

  Mt 6:7-15

 The Lord's Prayer

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’"

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

How to pray? "Keep it simple", he says by giving us the example of this beloved prayer. Three petitions directed to the Father and seven referring to us. How often do we recite this prayer, but how often do we pray it and reflect on each one of these petitions? We easily fall into the "remote trap" and like a robot, spit it out without consciousness of what we are saying.  This is not what Jesus intended. Why not use this prayer for today's meditation, praying it  slowly, pausing after each petition and letting it sink into our souls? 

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, thank you for this beautiful prayer. Help me to pray it as you intended. Amen.