Are You Brave Enough to Pray the Lord’s Prayer?

Mat 6:9-13, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

There is one very small word in the Lord’s Prayer that is very difficult to pray. A tiny word, really. The word: as. In the phrase, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” Jesus is telling us to pray each day for the Lord to treat us the same AS we treat others. Wow! That is huge. I don’t know if I like that so much.

I am more than happy with every other part of this prayer—beginning with praise to our Heavenly Father. Then, asking for His will to be done in my life. Then, asking Him to provide for my daily needs. But, then we get to the tricky part. We are supposed to ask God to treat us the same way as we treat each person we meet today. Yikes!

I love all the verses in the Bible about mercy. I love the thought that God is merciful to us, and does NOT give us what we deserve (hell). I love the verses in the Bible about grace. It is wonderful to think that our Lord gives us much, much MORE good than we deserve! But this thing about praying daily for our Father to give us exactly the SAME treatment that I give to other people—now that is where the Christian life gets real.

Are you willing and gutsy enough to ask the Lord to treat you the same as you treat each and every person that will cross your path today? This is the way that Jesus told His disciples to pray each day of their lives. This is where the rubber meets the road. If we are to be true followers of Christ, we are to be willing to life out what we say we believe. Our Father looks at our life, lived out on a daily basis, and He tells us to ask Him to be as good to us as we are willing to be good to others. Every. Single. Day.

Christianity 101.

“Dear Father, You are holy and perfect. I ask You to do Your will in my life, just as your will is done in Heaven today. Please meet my needs and the needs of my family. I ask you, Lord, to give me the same degree of grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and kindness that I am willing to extend to each person that I meet today. Please keep me from temptation, and deliver from all evil that is sent toward me today. Please establish Your kingdom, and get all glory for my life today. For all power belongs to You, now and forever. Amen.”