“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, etc.” (Matthew 6:9)

The Lord’s Prayer begins as all true prayers should begin; in recognition we are children by adoption by “our Father.” There’s no acceptable prayer until we submit to Him as our sovereign Lord, so we humbly adore Him with “hallowed be Your name”. From this point, we acknowledge His greatness with praise - “Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”

Next comes the heartfelt expression of dependence upon God - “Give us this day our daily bread.” Then, being further illuminated by the Holy Spirit, we discover we’re not only dependent on God, but sinful before Him, so we continue with a plea for mercy with “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”. Then, having been pardoned because the righteousness of Christ has been given to us, we humbly ask God for the grace to not sin again: “do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one”.

The man who truly repents, doesn’t want to repeat his sin; the possession of justification is naturally connected to a desire for holy perseverance. “Forgive us our debts,” that’s justification; “do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” those are two ways of sanctification.

As the result of all this, there follows a triumphant shout of acclamation, “for Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Thus our prayer starts with acknowledging our adoption, moves to our submission, to our adoration, to our praise, to our admission of dependence, to our appeal for mercy and grace, and finally, acclamation for the One who freely gives us all good things.

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