The Lord's Prayer as Lifestyle

The Lord’s Prayer is not only a pattern for praying but a pattern for living. We begin by directing our hearts’ attention upon our caring, consistent and close Father, who operates within time and space while not being confined by its limitations. We ask that God and His righteous, just, and merciful Kingdom will be revealed in us and through us. We praise Him for who He is and what He’s done in our lives, reminding our hearts of the reality of His presence with us. Clearly understanding God’s character and works generates confidence that He will give us today and each day all that we need for a healthy and flourishing life, emotionally, physically, financially. This confidence liberates us to live more freely and generously with others, so that we become an expression of God’s Kingdom, revealing the generosity and provision of our good, good Father to those around us. We approach Him honestly and authentically, trusting His merciful forgiveness to stay in right relationship with Him and with one another. When we receive His forgiveness we become a distributor of His grace, mercy and forgiveness, revealing God’s extravagant love to others. We become advocates of peace and facilitators of reconciliation. And when we’re not able to easily forgive, we rely on the reality of His presence, the truth of His forgiveness, and His love and power to forgive those who have offended, frustrated, or wounded us. We ask God to keep life’s inevitable trials from becoming an occasion for temptation and sin. We rely on His promises, power and presence to stand in the face of temptation, to provide a way out and to overcome evil. We respond from the reality of God’s presence with us rather than react to the lies we hear from the circumstances around us and the opposition to His kingdom that we will face. When we draw upon His presence, our life will stand in stark contrast to the destructive patterns of our broken world, challenge the world’s values and methods, and point to the life transforming hope, power and vision of God’s Kingdom.