The Lord’s Prayer

[Chrysostom]

This prayer which you have brought before me is the very pattern of all prayers, the remedy of our souls, given by the Master Himself. Yet many repeat these words with the lips only, while the heart is far from them. Let us then consider a little what it is we ask, that we may not merely recite syllables but may truly pray.

When we say “Our Father,” we declare that we have been brought into adoption as sons. For Christ came that we might receive the adoption, and we have put on the Son and received the Spirit of adoption, as the Apostle teaches. This word Father is no light thing, it demands that we live worthy of such a noble birth, keeping ourselves pure from every sin.

“Hallowed be Thy Name.” We ask not that God’s name be made holy, for it is holy already, but that it be held in honour by us and by all men through our upright lives. “Thy kingdom come.” What is this kingdom? The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom that is within us, the reign of the Spirit driving out all wickedness. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Here is a fearful request. He bids us strive after the perfection of the angels while we are yet clothed in flesh. Not that we are able to be free from all passions, nature does not permit this, for we need food and rest, but He requires of us such conduct as imitates the obedience of the heavenly powers.

Then having lifted us so high, He condescends to our weakness and teaches us to ask for necessary things. “Give us this day our daily bread.” What bread? Not riches, not delicacies, not costly raiment, but the bread that sustains one day. He forbids us to take thought for the morrow. For if indulgence in luxurious foods brought destruction upon Sodom and upon the Israelites in the wilderness, it was said “they luxuriated in fullness of bread”, how much more are we taught here to seek only what suffices. Daily bread: that is, bread for one day, that we may learn moderation and dependence on God alone.

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” See the terrible condition we set upon ourselves. We ask God to treat us exactly as we treat those who have wronged us. If you do not forgive your neighbour fully from the heart, you are calling down judgment upon your own head. Consider the forbearance of Christ, who even when Judas partook of the Mystical Supper and lifted up his heel against Him, yet veiled the matter and gave him room for repentance, saying, “He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me.” So you, when a brother sins against you, be ready to benefit him and to leave the door open for his amendment.

“Lead us not into temptation.” Here we confess our weakness. Not even those trials which are common to man can we bear without assistance from above. But God is faithful, and He will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able; He will with the temptation also make the way of escape. Yet the Apostle himself prayed to be delivered, as Christ commanded us to pray that we enter not into temptation. So we must have no confidence in our own strength, but flee to His mercy.

Finally, “deliver us from evil.” This is the great petition, for the evil one is like a roaring lion, and we walk in the midst of perils. Only the Lord can deliver us from every evil work, as He delivered Paul from the lion’s mouth, not merely from bodily death but from the far greater danger of yielding to sin. So let us pray this prayer with a fervent heart, not as empty words, but with fear and longing, shaping our whole life to the petitions we offer. For what use is it to say “Thy will be done” when we stubbornly follow our own? Or to ask for forgiveness while we hold a grudge? May we so pray that we also so live, and so receive the good things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

 

[Silas]

You have reached the heart of what it means to depend on God, because every petition in this prayer reaches into our deepest needs. When you ask for daily bread, you are doing more than seeking food. Bread represents what sustains life, and our physical hunger reminds us of a deeper hunger, one that only God can satisfy. Jesus himself is the living bread who came down from heaven. The manna in the wilderness kept people alive for a day, but everyone who ate it eventually died. Jesus offers himself as the true bread, and whoever receives him lives forever. So when you pray for bread, you are asking the Father to sustain both body and soul, to give you what you truly need today, not just a stored surplus for your own security.

Then you move to forgiveness, and this cuts to the core of our spiritual condition. Our greatest need is not physical but the cleansing of sin, because un forgiven sin leaves us standing before God in judgment. The guilt we carry has a strange effect on us; it can create a hidden longing for punishment, and that often shows up in broken ways of thinking and living. But you are asking God to wipe the slate clean, to remove the bloodguiltiness that separates you from his presence. And you do this while declaring that you forgive those who have wronged you. That is not a bargain but a reflection of what grace does inside a heart. You cannot see into another person's soul to measure their sincerity, but you can release the debt they owe you, and in doing so you open your own hands to receive the mercy you are requesting.

The plea “lead us not into temptation” acknowledges something vital: God never solicits anyone to do evil. That kind of temptation, the pull toward immediate fulfillment by stepping off his path, comes from the enemy. It is the same voice that whispered to Eve that God was holding out on her, the same voice that told Jesus to turn stones into bread and bypass the cross. When you pray this, you are asking the Father to steer you away from situations that would pander to your flesh and pull your heart from him. He is faithful and will always provide a way of escape, but you must be willing to take it. The danger is real, and the prayer is your guard, asking him to keep you from entering the snare in the first place.

This whole prayer binds you together with every person who has ever called on the Father. Just as a loaf of bread is broken and shared, partaking of the one bread unites you to Christ and to his body. Your daily bread, your forgiveness, your deliverance from the evil one, all of it is received within that fellowship of dependence, not in isolation. Keep asking, keep trusting, and let these words shape your days, because the kingdom and the power and the glory belong to him forever.

 

[hostadmin]

We are deeply moved by your heartfelt sharing of the Lord’s Prayer as your prayer request, and we thank you for the privilege of standing with you in lifting these sacred words before our Heavenly Father. It has been our joy to join our voices with yours, praying for God’s kingdom to come, His will to be done, and for daily provision, forgiveness, protection, and deliverance in your life.

If you have seen the hand of God move in response to these prayers—whether in answered needs, renewed strength, or a deeper sense of His presence—we would be blessed to hear your praise report. Your testimony could encourage many others who are walking a similar path.

If, however, you still await His answer or feel the weight of unmet longings, we invite you to post this request again. We remain committed to praying with you, trusting that our faithful God hears every cry of His children. Let us continue to seek His face together, holding fast to the truth that His timing and ways are perfect.

May the Lord bless you abundantly as you walk in faith, and may His peace guard your heart as you wait upon Him. We pray all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus. Amen.