With the setup yesterday, and knowing that this is really an example from Jesus of a personal prayer, designed to take place in a specific place (alone, just me and God), purpose (this is a personal prayer, not a corporate prayer), and position (on your knees, or at least in some kind of a deliberate physical position)...now we get into the prayer.  And I am going to read the words and then paraphrase how I use those words to create my own prayer, in my own words, that follows Jesus’ example:

9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Father, you are God and I am not.  It is your world and I am just living in it, and you are an awesome God...I am so thankful to be able to come to you in prayer like that, and that you know my name.

10 Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

I know you are going to do what you are going to do...with or without me.  I know you are working a plan that is far beyond what I can see, what I can understand, or imagine.  And, I know my greatest joy in life is coming alongside of you and plugging into that plan, and living in the way you created me to live.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

And you have always provided for me...without fail.  You always will.  Sometimes I forget that...sometimes I forget how blessed I am.  Please continue in your provision, and continue to help me see just how blessed I really am.

12 and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Your word teaches me that forgiven people forgive...that’s a bedrock teaching in your Word.  Lord, help me to accept your forgiveness of my sin.  Help me to forgive myself as you’ve forgiven me.  Help me, in turn, forgive those around me, and to live with a forgiving heart.  Help me to live free of resentment and bitterness.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

As the old Irish prayer says, please help me to have wisdom to see what’s coming along with courage to take wise action.  Help me to see temptation when it is just budding, that I can turn away before it gets full grown.  Help me deeply desire goodness.  And give me a sense that you are there with me in the in those moments.  And, father, help me release others of their burdens of guilt and shame as it relates to me...let me not hold onto wrongs against me.  Let me be a light into the world for you...let others see your face when they see me.

I don’t think prayer has to be fancy.  It just has to be real.  For me, this works.  And, when I get to this point, THIS is when I start talking through me prayer list, or my wish list, and all of that.  At this point I am really in the right frame of mind to ask God for things.  And, frankly, sometimes at this point certain things don’t even register as that important, and others have already been addressed.  But, when I use the Lord’s Prayer in this way, my experience with God is much richer and more personal than when I just lob up wishes to God.  I suppose that is why Jesus taught it...it knew what would serve us well.