Can you recite the Lord’s Prayer while writing out your grocery list? Most of us have said the words so often they’ve lost their impact on our lives. The model Jesus gave us for prayer is a powerful and meaningful plea to the God who sacrificed His Son to share that intimacy with us, yet we rattle it off as an exercise in religion. We’re not meant to pray those exact words per se, but the weight of what they teach us about God is often overlooked.

The danger of Bible passages we’re familiar with is our indifference to them. We skim over the verses when we should beg God to speak to us anew through them.

In the final episode of the “When You Pray” Care Ministries podcast series from Brookwood Church, I’m joined by my regular co-hosts and fellow Brookwood Care Ministries pastors, Gene Beckner and Doug Wildman as we reflect on what we’ve learned in our own Christian walk from the series.

For me, I felt convicted by the balance between approaching God with intimacy and reverence. The word “Father” shows a close relationship, but when we follow that familiar title with the phrase, “… May Your name be kept holy,” we should also realize the power of the One receiving our prayer.

It’s important we approach God with intimacy, but not casually. We should balance our friendship with God with an understanding of His sovereignty and power. There’s a reason Jesus acknowledges the holiness and Kingdom of God before making any personal requests. The correct perspective of who God is will greatly influence how we ask Him to intervene in our lives.

I’ve been guilty of approaching God with familiarity and abandoning any sense of His majesty. Over the six weeks we recorded this series, the Holy Spirit brought that to my attention above all else.

As you read Matthew 6:5-17 below, ask God to show you the passage with new eyes.

Close your eyes before reading it and ask what He wants to reveal about these verses you’ve never noticed before.

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

(Matthew 6:5-17 NLT)

When you ask God for a new perspective on the Lord’s Prayer, what stands out to you? We’d love to have you comment below.

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Listen and read the posts for the full When You Pray podcast series by clicking HERE.

The Brookwood Ministries Podcast is officially available through the Brookwood Church App, iTunes, PodBean, and your device’s podcast app. Episodes from Care Ministries (including this series) are also posted on our Care Ministries Facebook Page.