Prayer... a conversation with my Dad

The Lord’s Prayer is the Disciple’s Attitude towards Prayer

My Pastor Max has begun a series on prayer and he began with “The Lord’s Prayer.” Max said this prayer isn’t meant to be said verbatim, as is, but was more of an instruction as to the frame of mind for prayer; what should come to mind when you pray; what you should be focusing on in your mind and heart so your prayer aligns with God’s Will.

The Disciples, the students of Rabi Jesus, asked Jesus to teach them how to pray in the manner they witnessed Jesus praying. (Luke 11:1) Jesus responded by teaching them how followers of God should speak with God; this was not a prayer to God but an example of how to speak with God. I had heard this taught years ago so I’m always excited when other teaching pastors repeat those lessons as it is verification that the original teaching was trustworthy.

As part of my personal studies in 2004, I had written out the Lord’s teaching on prayer so I could understand what Jesus was teaching and then apply it to myself. Using Matthew 6:9-13, here is what I wrote and recently adapted again; I continue to evolve its meaning as God continues to teach me.

Our Father in Heaven Hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

My Dad in heaven, Your name alone is Sacred and Holy; help Your name be sacred and holy to me. Let your authority, rule and reign come now, start here with me now, on earth as it is in heaven. Provide for me, today, what you know I need; help me to be content with and appreciative what you’ve provided; Help me to rely on only you for my needs and not myself. Because I continue to place myself above You and sin, please forgive me of my sins; And forgive me using the same measuring rod in which I forgive others. Don’t allow me to let go of Your hand and wander off into something tempting; Continue to hold me tightly to You and lead me keeping me on Your path and away from the evil one.

When I looked at what God taught me beginning in 2004, I realized He is teaching me something about the attitude of my heart when I pray. Where is my heart? What am I asking for? Do my heart and my desires align with God’s will and desires? Am I just rambling on about useless things? Am I being earnest? Am I being respectful and appreciative of God?

I try to keep in mind that if my prayers are taking a long time to be answered, I must not be aligned with God’s will. I must now examine my heart and ask God to align me with Him so my prayers will be heard. Sometimes, the time it takes to answer prayer is the time it takes to get me into the right attitude through revelation, confession and surrender. During that time, I am to continue to Ask, Seek and Knock. (Matthew 7:7-12) During the time it takes for God to answer my prayer, I am to continue to ask and reverently ask, seek and reverently seek, knock and reverently knock. Meanwhile, God my Father – my Dad – continues to knock on my heart, continues to seek and reveal to me the intentions of my heart, so I can be real with Him and He can deal with me. And when I hear Him and answer the door, He comes in and has a meal with me. (Psalm 7:9; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Revelation 3:20) We sit together; I listen to Him, we reason, He feeds me, He cares for me. That's prayer.

Prayer to me is an intimate, two-way conversation with God, my Dad. The result is my conversation begins to mimic His and I begin to learn to follow His lead.