Lauren- I was just reading this devotional and it says this: 

“Most mornings I recite the Lord’s Prayer. I’m not worth much for the new day until I’ve grounded myself in those words.” Our Daily Bread 

If we think about it just for a minute, of all the ways Jesus could have taught His disciples to begin their prayers, He chose those very words: “Our Father” (that’s Matthew 6.9) as a starting point. That’s where we go every day. Was that random? No! Jesus was never less than intentional with every single word. We all have different relationships with our earthly fathers. Some good, some far less than that. However, praying in that way, we should not be addressing my father or your father, but our Father. The One who sees us, the One who hears us, and who knows what we need before we even ask Him. What an amazing reassurance, especially on those days when we might feel forgotten, alone, abandoned, or just simply not worth much. Remember, regardless of where we are, and what time of the day or night it may be, our Father in Heaven is always near. 

I shared this story before, that when my mother passed on to glory I was so distraught. I came home in this place of going, “Lord, I know You’re there, and I know You’re good, and I’ve served You for such a long time, but I don’t know what to do with all this.” I heard Him clearly say, “Do you trust me?” At that point, I had to start saying, “Father, thy will be done. Lord, Father, whatever Your will is.” So, we learn every moment we’ve been given another day to acknowledge Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to pause and begin by saying, “Our Father…” It makes such a difference in our lives. And to remember today that the Creator of the universe knows you, loves you, and has a plan for you. You are individually loved by Him, all the way from here to eternity when You are His. 

Prayer

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6.5-15 NIV

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