The Lord’s Prayer has served as a model for our own prayers ever since Jesus taught it to his disciples. It is something we all know and something we often recite without really thinking about it. Yet, if we savour and reflect on each phrase, the Lord’s Prayer is one of the richest prayers we have. So why not take time to say the Lord’s Prayer slowly and allow God to speak to you afresh from within those familiar phrases.

Our Father in heaven
We recognise the intimate relationship we have with God, a relationship akin to that of a loving parent and child.

Hallowed be your name.
We honour our Creator, recognising that God is worthy of praise.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Poverty, greed and conflict are an everyday reality for many people. This is not how God wants the world to be and we pray that creation will be restored.

Give us today our daily bread.
Bread is a basic need for our journey. We ask for just enough bread for today’s needs.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
The possibility of a new beginning is central to the Christian message. We are offered a new start ourselves but are also called to share God’s liberating love by forgiving those who have hurt us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
We recognise our vulnerability and the possibility that we might choose to do wrong, and we ask God for protection.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever.
The prayer ends as it began, with praise, affirming that God’s love is active and eternal.

Amen.
Amen can be understood to mean “it is so”. As such, it is not just a future hope that we pray for but a present reality.

With acknowledgement to The Methodist Church’s booklet “Pilgrimage of Prayer”.

Further information on the Lord’s Prayer can be found at Wikipedia