“Every time we pray, He wants to show us Himself and what He wants to do” Charles Stanley.
Let’s focus on the ways for SIGHT Prayer as patterned after the model prayer or The Lord’s Prayer:
“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not heap empty phrases…many words…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’” (Matthew 6: 5-15 ESV).
The Lord’s Prayer is categorized into three major increments:
- Honor God
- Surrender Self
- Honor Others
Let’s break down the model prayer into increments from Matthew 6. In the Jewish New Testament Commentary by author, David H. Stern, he states that the prayer translates as follows:
Honor God
- ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name (“may the world see who You are, our Heavenly Father, by the way we live” – Jewish New Testament Commentary). [i]
“They didn’t know he was speaking about his Father” (John 8:27 CEB).
Our Father in heaven (very few had ever addressed God as Father until Jesus addressed Him as His Father). The Jews honor His name to the extent as too holy to even mention. Now, Jesus said to call God, our Father, which translates as a sense of intimacy as a child calls his or her earthly father, Papa or Daddy. He is our Heavenly Father, Papa in a reverent, yet intimate way.
- Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Surrender Self – Honor Family and Others
Do you shy away from praying for yourself and family because it seems selfish? Or, do you shy away from praying for others because it seems laborious and lengthy?
Let’s look at how to surrender ourselves, honor family, and honor others. The remainder of the Lord’s Prayer reads as follows:
- Give us this day our daily bread (You are our Provider – emphasis mine)
- Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (He is our Forgiver: forgiveness is a vital part of the Christian life—we are forgiven and we forgive others, in order to maintain a healthy relationship with God and others – emphasis mine).
- Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (The Lord’s protection never ceases, trust Him as Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Salvation, The Word, and Faith).
Pray:
Honor God – How are you revealing your Heavenly Father?
Honor Family/Surrender Self: How is the Lord your Provider?
Honor Others: How often are you forgiving others?
[i] Jewish New Testament Commentary, David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc, 6120 Daylong Lane, Clarksville, Maryland, 21029, copyright 1992, p
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