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Teach Us How to Pray

Learning from the Lord's Prayer — Matthew 6:9-13

Of all the disciples could have asked Jesus to teach them to do, the only account of their request to "teach us" is "Lord, teach us to pray…"

This account captured in Matthew 6:9-13, as Jesus is teaching the disciples how to pray, perhaps we gain a very specific glimpse of how Jesus engaged the Father, how Jesus prayed.

Engage this portion of scripture afresh reading each section, reflecting, and working your way through reflective questions.

I
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name."

Reflection

Jesus begins with relationship and reverence. God is not distant; He is our Father. Yet His name is holy, weighty, and set apart. Prayer begins by lifting our gaze. This verse reorients us—before we ask anything, we acknowledge who God is: holy, near, attentive, and worthy of worship.

Questions

  • What aspect of God's character do I need to remember as I pray today?
  • Where has God been a Father to me recently?
  • What would it look like to "hallow", to reverently reflect His name, in my thoughts, words, and actions this week?
II
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Reflection

This is surrender. We invite God's rule, His ways, and His purposes to invade every part of our lives—our homes, work, relationships, habits, and decisions. It is a prayer of alignment: "Lord, let Your will reshape mine." We invite God's reign not just globally and outwardly, but personally and inwardly.

Questions

  • Where do I feel a tension between my will and God's will?
  • What part of my life most needs the rule, peace, and order of God's kingdom?
  • What might obedience look like today?
III
"Give us today our daily bread."

Reflection

God invites us to bring our everyday, practical needs. "Daily bread" is provision for right now—not tomorrow's anxieties. This is a prayer of trust in God's faithful care at every level (physical, mental, emotional). It shifts us from self-reliance to God-dependence.

Questions

  • What need (practical or emotional) do I need to entrust to God today?
  • Where do I struggle to rely on God instead of myself?
  • What provision has God given recently that I can thank Him for?
IV
"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

Reflection

Sin creates a debt we cannot repay. God offers forgiveness freely. But receiving forgiveness shapes us into forgiving people. Forgiveness is not excusing harm; it is releasing the hold it has on us. This prayer invites honesty. It allows us to come clean and to extend to others what we have received from God: mercy.

Questions

  • What sin, attitude, or pattern do I need to confess to God?
  • Whom do I need God's grace to forgive?
  • How has God and others forgiven me recently in a way that softens my heart toward extending forgiveness?
V
"And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."

Reflection

This is a prayer for guidance and protection. We ask God to guard our hearts, lead us away from compromise, and rescue us from the enemy's schemes. It acknowledges our vulnerability—and God's power. It reminds us that we are not meant to face spiritual battles alone.

Questions

  • What temptations or pressures am I facing right now?
  • Where do I need God's protection or deliverance?
  • How can I stay spiritually rooted and alert this week?