"LORD TEACH US TO PRAY!"

Luke 11:1-4                        (ESV)
"1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, TEACH US TO PRAY", as John taught his disciples."
2 And HE said to them, "When you pray, say: "FATHER, HALLOWED( be YOUR name. YOUR kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."



The "so-called" LORD's Prayer has so many lessons that one cannot cover them all.  Actually, this prayer should be named The Model Prayer as the disciples were inquiring about how to pray.  The LORD didn't need to ask forgiveness for HIS sins (v4), as HE never sinned!  HE was instructing the disciples to always ask forgiveness as our very nature is sinful and we ALL need forgiveness!  However, let me just make some quick notes as I read though these scriptures.

The word HALLOWED (v2) is defined as being SACRED, or HOLY!  Those who talk as GOD is a hunting buddy or a teammate on their baseball team may not grasp just WHO GOD really is.  JESUS declared GOD's name to be SACRED and HOLY and I just cannot bring myself to minimize WHO GOD is.  HE is the Creator and Sustainer of life and I love HIM greatly, but also FEAR HIM TREMENDOUSLY!  It seems modern Christians have become so comfortable with GRACE that we have relaxed the instructions to keep HIS FATHERS name SACRED and HOLY!  Instead changing our behavior because of HIM abiding with us, we drag HIM into the cesspool of life and then wonder why we experience difficulties?

In verse 3 JESUS addresses one of the most important aspects of being a Believer.  HE says "Give us each day our daily bread"!  Now my fleshly "desire" is to have enough resources, or wealth, to accomplish the things GOD has put on my heart.  But GOD can provide resources in other ways than money.  My "desire" is to see a huge balance in the checkbook, but HIS goal is for me to have FAITH in HIM to provide my needs!  Nothing is better than observing GOD work things out, especially when there SEEMS to be no way out!  JESUS knew that GOD is able and so HE only asked for HIS DAILY BREAD!  And one final note, when GOD provides OUR DAILY BREAD, it is usually real fresh, never stale (Lamentations 3:23)!

GOD isn't looking for people with uncommon strength or abilities.  GOD is looking for we who will TRUST in HIM for our very existence, people who know that HE is and will provide what we need (Hebrews 11:6)!  When we approach HIS THRONE we shouldn't be concerned with "LORD TEACH US TO PRAY" nearly as much as making sure HE IS GLORIFIED before a lost and dying world!  It is all about promoting HIM, not us!!!