SCRIPTURE

9"This, then, is how you should pray: 
   " 'Our Father in heaven, 
   hallowed be your name, 
 10your kingdom come, 
   your will be done 
      on earth as it is in heaven. 
 11Give us today our daily bread. 
 12Forgive us our debts, 
      as we also have forgiven our debtors. 
 13And lead us not into temptation, 
   but deliver us from the evil one.^[a]' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

NOTE

Prayer begins with “Our Father.” Prayer begins with the recognition of who God is and where God is (“in heaven”). Prayer begins with the realization that all prayer is focused on God and our relationship with God. In this model, our relationship with God is “Father.” This relationship is a personal relationship. It is not a relationship of the Deist, who proclaim that God is the watchmaker and has now left the watch behind and continues with no relationship with the watch (creation). Our God, continues the relationship.

THOUGHT TO PONDER