Tool #6 invites us to learn a wonderful way to pray, which is not the same as learning a wonderful prayer. Learning a way to pray helps our prayer life to stay fresh and conversational.
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Jesus’ disciples recognized that the way he related to God
was radically different from what they were familiar with. So they asked him;
“Teach us to pray.” We know his response as “The Lord’s Prayer” and it is
recorded in two different versions. One
is in the Gospel of Luke and a longer version is in Matthew.
While it is beneficial to memorize and recite The Lord’s
Prayer, it can also be an amazing tool for our spiritual life when used as a
pattern for prayer rather than as a script. The Hexagon icon above represents
six themes for prayer found in The Lord’s Prayer:
The Father’s Character. Jesus encourages us to address God
as “abba,” a term of intimacy similar to “daddy” or “papa” in English. Our
prayers begin as we turn to our loving God as children turning to a loving
parent.
The Father’s Kingdom. God’s intention for the world is life,
love, joy, meaning, purpose and beauty for everyone and everything. This is
what is meant by “Kingdom come.”
Provision. Loving parents provide for all their children’s
needs, so we look to God for our “daily bread.”
Forgiveness. We damage our relationships with each other and
with God, so we seek their repair with the forgiveness that flows to us from God
and through us to others.
Guidance. God is active in our lives, giving direction and
leading us towards the things that give life – to us and to others - and away
from the things that don’t.
Protection. Evil is a reality and there are forces and
powers in the world stronger than us. We look to God for protection.
With these themes in mind, The Lord’s Prayer becomes a way
of praying that we can learn and teach. For example, suppose a friend is having
a personal crisis. Here is how our concern might be shaped in prayer through
each theme. Character: remembering that our friend is also a child of God and
that their life matters to the Father.
Kingdom: envisioning the kind of life we know the Father wants for our
friend. Provision: knowing that God is already at work to provide for our
friend in their need and that we may be a part of how God’s provision will be
delivered. Forgiveness: for ourselves if we have been neglecting our friend’s
needs; for others who may have hurt our friend; and for ways our friend may
have created or complicated their own crisis. Guidance: listening for specific
instructions from God on what to do for our friend. Protection: remembering
that we and our friend may encounter things we can’t manage on our own in this
situation, but trusting God to watch over us.
The Hexagon themes can also be used to guide us in reviewing
our life to see where God may be asking us to direct our attention. Like a
medical checkup where we routinely look at blood pressure, heart rate and
temperature, each theme is an area or aspect of life we can look at. Where
we’re healthy we can give thanks to the Father. Where something’s amiss, we can
explore what needs to be done.