“He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” (Luke 11:2)

     Jesus instructs us to “say” these words, but we don’t only repeat these words in our prayer life, we can also pray these kinds of prayers using our own words.  It can be just like talking to a friend.  Our prayers can be unique and personal. 

     We acknowledge God as our Father.  God loves us and wants good for us as his children.  He is our heavenly Father; one we look up to for strength and support. 

     When we say, “hallowed be your name,” we honor God as holy, one who is most worthy.  We should show reverence toward God at all times, and this includes the times when we pray.

     When we say, “your kingdom come,” we must acknowledge that God’s kingdom and will—not our own—take priority in our lives.  This requires us to give up our will and surrender to God’s will.  This may not be easy and may not come naturally, but over time, when we surrender to his will, we become even more at peace with God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for teaching us how to pray, and help us to remember that you serve as our heavenly Father and friend.  It is so good that we can reach out to you at all times.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.