Seven Things You Need to Know About Prayer

(4) PRAYER What About?

IT HAS been called the most widely repeated of all Christian prayers. Whether that is true or not, Jesus' model prayer-sometimes called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father-is certainly among the most misunderstood. Millions of people utter its words by rote every day, perhaps often during the day. But Jesus never intended for the prayer to be used in that way. How do we know? 

"When praying, do not say the same things over and over again."  (Matthew 6:7) Did Jesus proceed to contradict himself by laying down a set of words  to be memorized and repeated? Surely not! Rather, Jesus was teaching us a clear set of priorities to keep in mind when praying. Let us take a closer look at what he said.  The prayer is recorded at Matthew 6:9-13. 

"Our Father Who Art in  Heaven, let your name be sanctified." 

Jesus thus reminded his followers that all prayers should be directed to his Father, Jehovah.  But do you know why God's name is so important and why it needs to be sanctified, or made holy? 

From the beginning of human history, God's sacred name has been smeared with lies. God's adversary, Satan, has called Jehovah a lying, selfish Ruler who has no real right to govern His creations.  (Genesis 3:1-6) Many have sided with Satan, teaching that God is cold, cruel, and vindictive or denying that he He is the Creator at all.  Others have even attacked his name itself, removing the name Jehovah from Bible translations and forbidding  the use of it. 

The Bible shows that God will rectify all these injustices.  (Ezekiel 39:7)  By doing so, he will address your every need and problem as well. How so?  The next words in Jesus' prayer provides the answer.

"Let your kingdom come."

Today, there is much confusion among religious teachers about God's Kingdom. But as Jesus' listeners knew, God's prophets had long foretold that the Messiah, a Savior chosen by God, would rule a Kingdom that would change the world.  (Isaiah 9:6,7; Daniel 2:44) It will sanctify God's name by exposing Satan's lies and then overthrowing Satan and all his works.  God's Kingdom will put an end to war, sickness, famine-even death itself. (Psalm 46:9; 72:12-16; Isaiah 25:8;  33:24) When you pray for God's Kingdom to come, you  praying for all those promises to come true. 

Next time: Seven Things You Need to Know About Prayer -  Conclusion of (4)  PRAYER What About?

From the Watchtower magazine, 2010