By comparing the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 to Luke 11, we see that the words are similar but not exactly the same. This slight difference indicates that our heart's posture toward the Lord is more important than our actual words. Here are some ideas on how to draw nearer to the Lord through prayer:
- Acknowledge God’s splendor and glory, and bow before Him in humble adoration, for He alone is worthy of worship and praise.
- Thank God for His generous provision, including the grace by which He has saved us and sustains us every day. All we have comes from Him.
- Confess and repent of sins we have committed against a holy and righteous God, believing He fully forgives and remembers our sins no more, thus enabling us to forgive others.
- Invoke God’s power to fight Satan and resist temptation, standing firm in the face of spiritual attack.
- Ask God to help us to be Christlike examples in all we say and do, extending grace, mercy and love to others throughout our day.
Prayer is personal, just like our relationship with the Almighty through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer is also a privilege, allowing us 24/7 access to our heavenly Father, made possible only by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for our sins. Remember, the Lord is much more concerned with the attitude of our hearts than the actual words from our lips. Life is complicated, but our prayer lives need not be.
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the gift of prayer. When we don't have the words, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf. Let us be a people who communicate with You regularly, taking all requests to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
