Prayer of Humility

The Christian Community Comes Alive
Seeds of New Growth

Praying for One Another

Matthew 6:9-15  The Message

^7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
    as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
    Yes. Yes. Yes.

^14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

For Reflection 

The Lord's Prayer is familiar to us all.  So familiar in fact, that we often repeat it with out thinking about it.  Sometimes the rote repetition looses some of its meaning.  Here in this translation the prayer may throw us for a loop.  That is the point!  Our feelings of discomfort make us take a new look at an old prayer.  There is no right way to pray.  Just talk to God.  Be humble and honest.

Pray

Pray this prayer in your own words, make this familiar prayer uniquely yours.