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The Lord's Prayer

Our Father
Who is in heaven
Hallowed by your name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts
As we also forgive our debtors
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.

The Lord's Prayer - ESV

The Lord's Prayer is one of the central passages of Scripture. Jesus, teaching his followers how to pray, says this prayer during the Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew. It is, in a way, a summary of the entire Sermon on the Mount. It can be summed up in several points.

1. Glorify God
2. Obey God
3. Trust God

Point one is easy. Only God, who is in heaven, deserves to be glorified. We should treat his name with the utmost respect and reverence.

Point two is interesting. "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." We should pray that God's will be done here on earth just as it is in heaven. This means that earth should be a place where God's will is done with question. In heaven, in God's holy presence, there is no hesitation or rebellion. 

This means we are a people called to a specific purpose; obedience. By obeying God as individuals, families, and communities we usher in the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We are a people who embody heaven on earth.

Point three is again simple. Trust God in the little things that happen day to day. "Give us this day our daily bread." Trust God's mercy and forgiveness and show people that forgiveness as well. Trust that God will not lead you astray and that he does not tempt you to evil.

The Lord's Prayer seems simple, but it is in fact a powerful lesson from Jesus to us. We must glorify, obey, and trust God with all our hearts.

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